Defence Secretary Ben Wallace touted as next NATO chief

According to report in The Sunday Times, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is being considered as an option to replace existing Nato chief, Jens Stoltenberg.

A former soldier, Mr Wallace is the Conservative MP for Wyre and Preston North, and has been an MP continuously since May 5, 2005.

There was speculation that David Cameron could get the position but is thought that the former prime minister would be unlikely to have the support of the French.

Lord Sedwill, the former cabinet secretary and national security adviser, had been expected to receive Boris Johnson’s backing for the job as chief.

One source told The Times: “Cameron is not interested and Sedwill was not a defence secretary or a foreign secretary. It is being speculated about by quite a few, including overseas Nato members, that it could be Ben Wallace”.

The Defence Secretary this week overtook Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, as the most popular cabinet minister among Conservative party members.