Politics
Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns After Spending Bust-Up With Keir Starmer
Defence secretary John Healey has resigned following a bust-up with Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves over spending on Britain’s armed forces.
In a blistering letter to the prime minister, he said he had been left with “no other option” after disagreement over the government’s long-delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP).
As well as Starmer, he also accused the chancellor of blocking his pleas for more money for the Ministry of Defence.
He revealed that No.10 and the Treasury wanted to increase defence spending from 2.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) next year to just 2.68% in 2030 – well short of the 3% Healey wanted.
It is understood that worked out at an extra £13.5 billion – less than half of the £28bn Healey had been asking for.
Healey said: “This new era for defence required further investment through the Defence Investment Plan.
“The excellent and extensive cross-government work that completed in January – overseen by you, me and the chancellor – confirmed the scale of the challenge and the rising demands on defence.
“Since then, you have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats.”
He said that “demands on defence have increased still further”, pointing to the Iran war, threats from Russia and escalation in the Ukraine conflict.
Healey said his resignation letter was one “I never expected to write, and I do so now with great regret and reluctance”.
He said the proposed DIP, which he was shown on Monday afternoon, “falls well sort of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time”.
“You know what defence needs,” Healey said. “You made the argument for this powerfully in your speech at the Munich Security Conference back in February.
“Without a DIP that meets the moment in this way, I am being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations, and could make the country less safe.
“After explaining to you that I would not be able to accept a DIP settlement that does not give our Forces the resources they need, I am now left with no other option than to submit my resignation as your defence secretary.”
A government source rejected Healey’s claims and insisted the UK is “safer because of the decisions Keir Starmer has made and we will continue to act in our national interest”.
“The Defence Investment Plan will deliver the capability our armed forces need,” the source said. “We will always do what is right, and needed, to keep the country safe.”
A Treasury source said: “The chancellor will always do what is right and needed to keep this country safe, you can see that from her actions – a record uplift in defence spending at the spending review, and then working alongside the PM to deliver billions more to fund the Defence Investment Plan in full.”
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said his resignation showed Starmer’s “premiership is falling apart”.
She said: “His health secretary resigned two weeks ago. His defence secretary has resigned at a critical time when we are facing global threats, and he is doing so because the prime minister is trying to please his backbenchers by putting money into welfare instead of defence.
“We need to start funding defence. We need to get to 3% of GDP by the end of this parliament.
“Keir Starmer has no plan whatsoever. I don’t see how he can stay in this job. He can’t run the country. He is paralysed because his backbenchers only want to spend money on welfare.”
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said it was “a wake up call” for Starmer and Andy Burnham, who is favourite to be the next PM if he wins next week’s Makerfield by-election.
Stop repeating the mistakes of the Conservatives and get serious about funding our armed forces properly,” he said.
“We cannot afford years more political chaos while our national security is put at risk.”
Green Party leader Zack Polanksi said: “This is a government in chaos, unable to govern, with no leadership, under a caretaker Prime Minister who’s expected to be replaced within weeks.”
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