BW will resign from the Government at the next cabinet reshuffle but will stay on as a Conservative MP until the next election. He will not be seeking re-election, not because he fears the Conservatives losing the next election but because impending boundary changes will remove his current parliamentary constituency.
I think as Defence Minister, and an MP it will be a loss to the Conservatives and the country to lose a person of his calibre in Government and particularly as Defence Secretary.
I think he would be ideally suited as head of NATO. If we must lose him as a Cabinet Minster or even an MP it would be comforting to know NATO was in the hands of someone with his character, knowledge, and experience, both military and parliamentary. I would have expected him to have had the full support of the rest of NATO but it appears it was not meant to be and has been blocked by the Americans and some other members of NATO in favour of Jens Stoltenberg staying on for another year, notwithstanding he’s been in the job for 9 years. With France believing the NATO secretary general should come from within the EU it is looking even more likely that
JS will continue for now in favour of the first female NATO chief coming from either Denmark or Germany. For me I don’t care what sex the NATO SG is, and don’t feel the alliance should be pressured one way or another into giving someone the job for that reason. Or indeed which country of the alliance they come from providing they have the ability, experience and knowledge to do the job well.
Kms901 and Katamarino – you are so wrong.
Asturias56 – I respectfully disagree, I think defence is, or should be very high on everyone’s priority right now in these uncertain times.
Frankly having someone in their mid 50’s with 7 yrs experience of the military and 24 yrs experience in politics, 4 of which have been as Secretary of Defence under a few PM’s, is a good balance for me for the position of boss of NATO. Most other candidates don’t even have that. Some people are content with 80 yr olds of having their fingers on nuclear buttons which is far more worrying for me.