British Defense Secretary John Healey resigned citing Starmer’s plans to fail to keep the country safe | Today’s news
British Defense Secretary John Healey resigned on Thursday after a disagreement over military funding. He criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not allocating enough resources to bolster the country’s defenses despite growing security threats, Reuters reported.
The surprise resignation, accompanied by a scathing public letter, increases pressure on Starmer as he faces a likely leadership challenge and exposes a crisis at the heart of the government – how it can increase defense spending when there is no money to spare.
Britain’s defense and finance ministries have been deadlocked for months in talks over how to meet growing demands to expand military spending, delaying Britain’s defense investment plan due to be published last year, Reuters reported.
Military leaders have stressed the plan is needed to meet rising threat levels at a time of frequent Russian incursions into British waters, but the government is already struggling to reduce debt while the overall tax burden is at its highest level for decades.
The high-profile resignation comes as Starmer struggles to hold on to power after Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary in May and another challenger, Andy Burnham, is attempting to return to frontline politics to launch a leadership bid.
“You have been unable and the Treasury has been unwilling to provide the resources the nation needs to defend the country at this time of increasing threats,” Healey said in his letter to Starmer.
Britain’s defense industry has been outraged by the plan’s delays, saying it cannot invest in long-term programs.
The UK is grappling with the US turning away from protecting Europe, while the US-Israeli war with Iran has exposed Britain’s lack of military preparedness, with its navy unable to immediately deploy an advanced warship in the region.
The aim of the defense plan is to set out funding for military equipment and services to ensure the armed forces move to a state of “combat readiness”, and Starmer said on Wednesday it would be published ahead of a NATO summit starting on 7 March.
“Your DIP financial settlement – which I received in full for the first time on Monday afternoon this week – falls short of what is required for defense and the country at this dangerous time,” Healey said.
“I am forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our forces and increase the risk to personnel in operations and could reduce the security of the country.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
