UK Defence Secretary John Healey has resigned from the government, citing concerns over defence funding and warning that current spending plans do not meet the UK’s security requirements.
In a resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Healey said Britain faces a “new era of threat which demanded a new era for defence” but argued that the government had failed to provide the resources needed to meet those challenges.
He wrote that Starmer had 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”.
Healey pointed to growing security pressures, including the war in Ukraine, increased Russian activity, instability in the Middle East, and the UK’s expanding commitments to NATO and allied missions. He argued that Britain should commit to spending 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, stating that “a headmark date for 3% of GDP on defence in 2030 is what Britain must set”.
The former Defence Secretary said the government’s proposed Defence Investment Plan “falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time”, noting that planned spending would reach only 2.68% of GDP by 2030.
Concluding his letter, Healey warned that without greater investment he would be forced to make decisions that could “reduce the readiness of our Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations”. He said he had “no other option” but to resign while pledging his continued support for the Labour government.
Follow on social media TikTok@tut0ughInstagram@tut0ugh Threads@tut0ugh X@tut0ugh YouTube@tut0ugh
tut0ugh 