![Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, right, with General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2023/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000310124679_16880684213480_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqjFFDXEum3xk1CzfFo9Dd0m80TNa-HEqwgz7MzEdHxxo.jpeg?imwidth=680)
British Army chief to step down amid row over soldier numbers
General Sir Patrick Sanders is being moved on because he has been honest about troop numbers, senior defence sources claim
![Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, right, with General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2023/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000310124679_16880684213480_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqjFFDXEum3xk1CzfFo9Dd0m80TNa-HEqwgz7MzEdHxxo.jpeg?imwidth=680)
The head of the British Army has been forced out after just two years, defence sources have claimed, amid a row over troop numbers that has engulfed the military.
General Sir Patrick Sanders will step down from his position as Chief of the General Staff (CGS) next year, despite only assuming it in June 2022.
He has been publicly critical of planned cuts to troops which will see the British Army reduced to the smallest size for centuries.
The news of his departure comes just three days after Sir Patrick used a speech at a Royal United Services Institute conference to call for the UK to increase the number of its troops and compared “outdated” tanks to “rotary dial telephones in an iPhone age”.
Sir Patrick also warned that for UK deterrence to succeed, all three services needed to be “balanced” in terms of personnel and equipment.
Senior defence sources told The Telegraph: “He’s being moved on after two years because he has been pointing to the need to rebuild the army. That is inconvenient for those who argue for carriers, submarines and new jets, and it’s also what the US and Nato want from the UK.”
They claimed Sir Patrick’s “honesty” about the state of the nation’s armed forces has not made him “very popular” within the Ministry of Defence.
In 2021, it was announced that the number of fully-trained soldiers is set to fall to 72,500.
“He has pointed to the need to rebuild the army. Parts of the MoD and Tony Radakin want to cut the army further and he didn’t make that easy for them. He’s not going to be a yes man,” they said.
There has been speculation that Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, may step down and wants to choose Sir Patrick’s successor while he is still in government.
Mr Wallace said it was not the case that Sir Patrick, who he described as “brilliant”, was being forced out, as he said it had been agreed when he was appointed that it would be a two-year posting.
“There’s no conspiracy, nothing else,” he told reporters at a press conference at Canada House on Thursday. “Yes, as a general rule, he’s made his views clear, but I’ve made it clear that my views are in support of them, that the army needs modernisation.”
Army modernisation
Addressing Sir Patrick’s recent speech, Mr Wallace added: “I noticed his comments at RUSI [Royal United Services Institute] about antiques which is why he’s got £14 billion for his army modernisation programme, for his equipment.”
In 2021, Sir Patrick had been tipped as the next chief of the defence staff, however lost out to Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. It was thought that he would be in the running for the position when it reopens.
However, The Telegraph understands that Sir Tony’s position will now be extended beyond two years, ruling out the possibility of Sir Patrick taking on the position.
Mr Wallace is understood to be keen to choose the next head of the army as the general could go on to be the next chief of the defence staff.
Last week, Mr Wallace ruled himself out of the running to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as Nato secretary general, having expressed in public his desire to take over the role.
There is speculation that he may step down as Defence Secretary imminently.
Another senior military source said: “Wallace wants to bring someone in, this is partly his control thing.
“He knows all the candidates better than any new defence secretary. If he gets a new head of the army next year then it means the next one has time to build experience as a 4-star in order to be considered to be the next defence chief.
“He is thinking about succession planning for the army.”
Sources close to Mr Wallace dismissed the claims.