Ben Wallace
The Guardian
What holds, and what fails, under pressure, standards and accountability.
Ben Wallace is the UK's Secretary of State for Defence, known for his commitment to national security and defense issues. This interview reveals his focus on protecting and stabilizing the defense sector while navigating complex political landscapes.
“And we went on this trip, the four of us, to Iran. But I always, and we had a common interest in the Middle East and Iran. And then there was the Lancashire link. And Lancashire labor just lovely people. I got on very well with most of the Labour Party in Lancashire. Lindsay Hoyle is a good friend of mine.”
“Foreign Office said it would be escalatory to me to attend the celebration of Ukrainian independence Some of the spooks, some of the national security institution. And to be fair, this is where Boris was very good. I wrote to Boris and I said, look, Boris, we need to get some of this stuff in here.”
“Would have liked, well, they sought to influence Scottish independence. I mean, they would have liked, they liked division. There's no logic to it. They did try, it was pathetic, actually, in the Brexit debate at one stage. I remember there was some troll factory in St. Petersburg.”
“And that's, you know, I've been in a hollow armed forces under both labour and conservatives. I've been in those hollowed forces. So I think Trump is probably, I suspect, going to require more of a subscription to be a member of NATO. What that is, 2.5 or 3%, I don't know, and what time he'll put on it.”
The Rest Is Politics: Leading — 115. Ben Wallace: Britain's mistake in Ukraine, Trump vs. NATO, and visiting Iran with Jeremy Corbyn
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