UK defence secretary Ben Wallace sparks fury after claiming country fought ‘illegal wars’

Downing Street distances itself from minister’s war remarks

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace accused the former Labour government of getting the UK into 'illegal wars'. Getty Images

Downing Street has distanced itself from the defence secretary after he suggested Britain fought “illegal wars” in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ben Wallace, a former army captain, asserted this week that the former Labour government led by Tony Blair sparked “illegal wars” that left British troops in a legal “mess”.

However, the prime minister’s spokesman said Mr Wallace had been expressing “a personal view” and it was not the position of the government.

The spokesman said: “There have been long-held views on this across the political spectrum and the defence secretary was giving his own personal view.

“Neither the government nor the Chilchot inquiry expressed a view or not (on whether) the UK’s participation in the war was legal.”

Afghanistan and Iraq were the major wars the UK fought under the previous Labour government.

Mr Wallace made the claim when sparring with Shadow Defence Secretary John Healy over a controversial bill that aims to protect British troops from “vexatious claims and endless investigations”.

Mr Healy argued that the bill risked breaching the Geneva Conventions outlawing torture and war crimes because British troops would be protected from prosecution after five years.

The defence secretary shot back: “Much of the mess we’re having to clean up today is because of your illegal wars, your events in the past.”

Mr Healy returned fire, saying: “That is not worthy of the office of the secretary of state for defence. We are dealing with matters of torture, war crimes, negligence, compensation for injured troops and compensation for the families who have lost their loved ones overseas.”

Former commander of British forces in Afghanistan Richard Kemp demanded that Mr Wallace apologise.

He said: “Defence secretary Ben Wallace needs to explain what he meant. We still have troops serving in both these theatres, for whom he is responsible.

“The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not illegal. Many British troops fought and died in those wars defending our country against terrorism.”

Mr Wallace’s comments echo those of former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg who claimed in 2010 that the invasion of Iraq was “illegal”.

The Cameron-led government at the time was also forced to distance itself from the assertion.