UK defence minister resigns hours before scheduled meeting with Marles

The United Kingdom’s defence minister announced his resignation. The departure occurred only hours before a meeting with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles. The timing of the quit raised questions about the agenda of the bilateral talks. The minister’s resignation was reported by The Age. No immediate replacement was named at the time of the announcement. The meeting was expected to cover defence cooperation between the two nations. Officials said the resignation will not affect the scheduled discussions. The situation may prompt a review of the UK’s defence leadership.