On Thursday, Defence Secretary John Healey resigned, writing in his letter to the prime minister that Sir Keir Starmer had been "unable and the Treasury unwilling" to commit the resources needed to defend the country.
Healey is the sixth government minister to resign since Labour's disastrous showing in last month's elections, and the fourth full cabinet minister to quit. His departure came on the day the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan (DIP) was expected to be published, but it was pulled because of rows within government over how to pay for it. The armed forces minister, Al Carns, also resigned bizarrely on the same day.
“Explains the defence spending row that triggered John Healey's resignation and what it means for Starmer's leadership.”
The resignations expose deep internal divisions in the Labour Party over defence spending and the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer. Healey had been a vocal advocate for increased military funding, especially amid the war in Iran and ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In an interview before his resignation, he described the current period as "the most dangerous and uncertain times we've faced for decades." The New Statesman profile, republished after his resignation, highlighted his sleepless nights and the principles he insisted on for British military action: it must be defensive, coordinated with allies, and legally sound.
For UK readers, this matters because defence spending directly affects national security and the economy. The government faces huge trade-offs: a massive increase in defence spending would require cuts elsewhere, higher borrowing, or tax rises. The uncertainty also weakens the UK's standing among NATO allies. New Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis, a veteran of tours in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, now has to attend a NATO defence ministers' meeting next week and explain the chaos to peers.
Q: Why did the Defence Secretary resign? John Healey resigned because he believed the government's proposed Defence Investment Plan did not provide enough money for the military. In his resignation letter, he said Sir Keir Starmer had been "unable" and the Treasury "unwilling" to commit the necessary resources.
Q: How serious is this for Keir Starmer? Very serious. Healey is the fourth cabinet minister to resign, and the latest in a string of departures that has left Starmer politically weakened. Potential leadership challengers like Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting are now watching closely, and there is speculation about a contest within weeks or months.
Q: What is the Defence Investment Plan? The DIP was meant to outline long-term spending commitments for the armed forces. It was delayed due to disputes between the Ministry of Defence and the Treasury over funding. Healey saw a version of the deal on Monday afternoon and concluded it was not good enough.
What happens next is uncertain. The prime minister must appoint a new defence secretary and find a military spending deal that can unite his party. He also faces a crucial by-election in Makerfield, where Andy Burnham could return to Parliament and potentially challenge for the leadership. Sir Keir heads to the G7 summit in France soon, but his authority is draining fast.