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Ben Wallace is like a WWI general miles behind the line drinking wine, Tory MP tells The Sun’s show in takedown
Ben Wallace told his colleagues they should march "towards the sound of guns"
BEN Wallace was tonight compared to an armchair general sipping on fancy wine after he told Tory MPs to embrace likely election defeat.
The former Defence Secretary - who is standing down - previously said it is "too late" to replace Rishi Sunak and the Tories should just march "towards the sound of guns".
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But fellow Conservative Sir Jake Berry brutally dismissed his comments on The Sun's new politics show Never Mind the Ballots.
He said Mr Wallace was 30 miles back from the trenches where the rest of the Tories were fighting to win.
Sir Jake said: "Ben Wallace is like a first world war general.
"He's not standing in the election.
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"He's 30 miles behind the lines drinking Pomerol in a chateau issuing orders.”
Send your questions to Rishi
RISHI Sunak will be facing questions from The Sun's readers during a no holds barred guest spot on our brand new politics show.
The Prime Minister will have nowhere to hide during next week’s Never Mind the Ballots, fronted by Political Editor Harry Cole.
The Tory leader currently sits behind Labour boss Sir Keir Starmer in the polls, with elections to be held before the end of January 2025.
The weekly show also features opinions and insight from our very own panel boasting real-life experience, discussing what readers want from the next Government.
You can watch it on thesun.co.uk and The Sun’s YouTube channel on.
And you can help set the agenda - by submitting your questions via email at readerquestions@the-sun.co.uk
During the show, Sir Jake also insisted the Tories could still turn it around despite Labour's sustained and significant lead in the polls.
He argued "things turn very quickly in politics" and that it would be "very foolish" to write off his party.
Sir Jake added: “We have got a lot of work to do. But I do think that we will set out that compelling vision.”
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More than 60 Tories have announced they are either standing down from Parliament or not seeking re-election in their current constituency.
Mr Wallace served as Defence Secretary from 2019 to 2023 and overseen one of the biggest international responses to the war in Ukraine.
Lee Anderson bottles it & Sun mega-poll makes brutal reading for Tories on our politics show
He announced he would be standing down in July 2023 and would not seek reelection.
Sir Jake's comment came as a surprise given the two were seen as close allies, who both served under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
Mr Wallace was asked last week about reports of plots to oust the Prime Minister amid dire poll ratings for the Tories.
Speaking to Times Radio, the former Defence Secretary issued a message to the plotters.
He said: “There comes a moment in time in the electoral cycle where you effectively put on your best suit, you stand up and you march towards the sound of the guns and you get on with it.
“Rishi Sunak is the Prime Minister. He set out his plan. He set out his idea and vision, which I think is to effectively, quite rightly, fix the economy, get inflation down. If we get inflation down, we can see interest rates drop.
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“Whether colleagues are happy with him or not, it’s too late. Get on with it. Stand up. And you know, at some stage this year, commit to engage in the general election and put our best case forward.
"There is no other alternative, and that’s just the reality of it.”
How to watch Never Mind the Ballots
The Sun has launched a weekly politics show, Never Mind the Ballots, fronted by Political Editor, Harry Cole.
You can watch the second show on thesun.co.uk and The Sun’s YouTube channel on Thursday from 7pm.
And you can help set the agenda – by submitting your questions via email at readerquestions@the-sun.co.uk
In a massive year for the country, Never Mind the Ballots will feature the biggest political interviews.
Not only will it feature questions from Sun readers but the opinions and insight of the Sun’s very own Cabinet.
Our panel of voters with real-life experience of working in law and order, defence, schools, the NHS and running their own businesses, from a plumbing firm to driving a black cab.
The show will look at what readers really want from the next Government and who, if anyone, can win their vote.
The programme will also feature The Sun’s award-winning Lobby team for their analysis and insight.
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