British Defence Minister, John Healey, has resigned following a dispute over military spending, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to provide the financial commitment needed to safeguard the country amid rising global threats.
The unexpected resignation, accompanied by a strongly worded public letter, increases pressure on Starmer at a time when he is already facing internal political strain and potential leadership challenges.
It also exposes deep divisions within government over how to fund rising defence needs while managing growing welfare costs and limited fiscal space.
Healey had been in prolonged discussions with Starmer and Finance Minister Rachel Reeves for months over plans to increase military funding, a process that has delayed Britain’s Defence Investment Plan, originally expected last year.
“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,” Healey said in his letter to Starmer.
RESIGNATION TURNS UP THE HEAT ON STARMER
Healey’s resignation comes as Starmer continues to face mounting political pressure, following the earlier departure of Health Minister Wes Streeting in May and renewed efforts by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to re-enter frontline politics with leadership ambitions.
A government source said Starmer had already reduced spending across several departments and would present a budget plan designed to ensure the armed forces retain full operational capability.
Britain, once regarded as a dominant global military power, faced operational challenges in March when it was unable to quickly deploy an advanced warship to Cyprus after its air base there was struck by an Iranian-made drone.
At the same time, shifting U.S. priorities away from Europe have added to London’s security concerns. Britain is now the third-largest defence spender in NATO after being overtaken by Germany in 2024, with the new investment plan intended to restore “warfighting readiness” to the armed forces.
Starmer has promised the largest sustained rise in defence spending since the Cold War, targeting 3% of GDP in the next parliament.
However, Healey argued that the current plan he had seen would only raise defence spending to 2.68% by 2030, after reaching 2.6% next year.
By comparison, Germany is projected to allocate 3.7% of GDP to defence by 2030, while France is expected to remain lower at around 2.5%.
Healey said the proposed increase in funding fell “well short” of what is required to respond to escalating threats from Russia, as well as expanding military commitments in the Arctic and Middle East.
The government has struggled to identify additional funding amid stagnant economic growth and public finances already strained by high debt levels and a tax burden at or near multi-decade highs.
HEALEY WAS WIDELY LIKED
Healey, a former minister under ex-Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, was widely respected across both government and the defence sector.
One Labour lawmaker described the resignation as a “hammer blow to Starmer”. Another said it was now inevitable Starmer would be forced out of his job within months. A third said it had taken the Labour defence team completely by surprise.
About a quarter of Labour lawmakers have reportedly called for Starmer to step down following heavy losses in May local elections, the worst results for a British prime minister in over three decades.
Healey’s departure, coming less than a month before a NATO summit, adds further uncertainty.
Kevin Craven, head of the defence industry group ADS, called the resignation a “damning reflection” of Starmer’s approach.
“The consequences for the UK, and indeed our allies, of getting our Defence Investment Plan wrong – as now seems certain – are of a magnitude far beyond our worst fears,” he said.
Kevin Rowlands of the Royal United Services Institute said the situation marked a turning point for Britain’s defence sector.
“If the delay to the Defence Investment Plan was already undermining the government’s credibility on defence, John Healey’s resignation has blown a hole in its side,” he said.
Starmer has previously stated that the Defence Investment Plan was expected to be published ahead of a NATO summit scheduled to begin on July 7.
