UK defence secretary John Healey has quit becoming the sixth minister to resign from Keir Starmer’s government in the past month.
In his resignation letter, Healey accused the prime minister of being unable “to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats”.
He specifically mentions the defence investment plan, which has not yet been released and is due to lay out the government’s defence spending plans.
This, he says, “falls well short of what is required for… this dangerous time”.
Henry Zeffman writes that the main emotion among Labour ministers, MPs and advisers right now is shock, with one Labour figure describing Healey as “the loyalist’s loyalist”.
While the prime minister has not yet commented, a government source says “the country is safer because of the decisions Keir Starmer has made”.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch describes Healey’s decision as “honourable”, while Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick says: “Good on Healey. Shame on them [the government]”. The Greens and Liberal Democrats have similarly criticised the government.
