UK defence minister Wallace rules himself out of leadership race

FILE PHOTO: British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace arrives ahead of a weekly cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain July 5, 2022. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

LONDON (Reuters) - British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, one of the favourites to succeed Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said on Saturday he had decided not to run in the leadership contest.

Wallace, 52, has risen in recent months to overtake Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as the most popular member of the government with Conservative Party members, according to Conservative Home, thanks to his handling of the Ukraine crisis.