Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) listens as Britain's Defence Secretary John Healey speaks to apprentices and representatives from SMEs in the defence industry, during a careers fair inside 10 Downing Street in central London on March 3, 2025. (AFP)
British Defense Secretary John Healey resigned on June 11, in a surprise move which he said was due to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the finance ministry failing to commit sufficient resources to defense investment.
"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 wrote in a resignation letter to Starmer.
The government has delayed a long-awaited Defense Investment Plan that sets out funding over the next decade, amid reports that funding would fall far short of what had been requested.
"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."
Starmer is facing political peril in next Thursday's contest when Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is standing for the Makerfield parliamentary seat and has said that he would participate in any Labour leadership race, although none has yet been triggered.
In his letter, Healey said he was first given full sight of the DIP on Monday, revealing that it "falls well short of what is required for defense and the country at this dangerous time."
"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."
