British Defense Secretary John Healey published his resignation letter at lunchtime on Thursday, accepting his post amid a row over military spending plans for the coming years.
The unexpected resignation increases pressure on criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who appeared to be facing the worst storm of a potential challenge to the leadership of the Labor Party in recent weeks.
Britain’s defense and finance ministries have been in talks for months over how fast to increase defense spending over the next few years.
The conflict put pressure on public finances and led to weaker growth forecasts than NATO’s goal to continue increasing European defense spending.
What did Healey say when submitting her resignation to Starmer?
“This is a letter I never expected to write, and I do so now with great reluctance,” Healey, a close ally of Starmer for years and the shadow defense secretary in opposition before Labour’s election victory in July 2024, said in the preface to her resignation letter.
He said he was proud of the current rapid growth in UK defense spending, but said the latest agreement on the Defense Investment Plan (DIP) for spending until 2035 “falls far short of what is needed for defense and the country at this dangerous time.”
He said growth through 2030 is projected to be negligible compared to spending already guaranteed by the end of 2027.
“Despite the scale of the challenge and the increasing demands on defence,” Healey told Starmer that “you have been unable, and the Treasury is unwilling, to commit the resources that are needed to defend the country at this time of growing threats.”
A recently raised target for NATO members projects them to spend 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035 — amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and America’s longstanding but growing desire to move some of its military assets to Europe.
Healy told Starmer in his letter, “You know what the defense needs.” “You argued forcefully for this at the Munich Security Conference in February. Without a DIP serving time like this, I am being forced to make decisions that will reduce the readiness of our forces and increase risk to personnel on operations, and could make the country less safe.”
Why is the last thing Starmer needs now is a high-profile resignation?
The resignation comes as Starmer struggles to hang on to power following defeat in local and regional elections and discontent within his Labor Party.
Various policy adverse effects and U-turns, not least the scandal of the Jeffrey Epstein-affected appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, were troubling Starmer before Labour’s major midterm election defeat.
The mid-May fiasco appears to have subsided somewhat in recent weeks, but the specter of a leadership challenge within his party still haunts the prime minister.
Although the resignation of Health Secretary Wes Streeting and vocal criticism from former deputy party leader Angela Rayner prevented Starmer from being challenged, another potential challenger, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, is seeking a seat in the House of Commons through a by-election. They will need a seat to launch a bid to oust Starmer. Voting in the Makerfield constituency will take place on June 18.
Despite the strategic ambiguity of a former journalist and communications and campaign manager, Healy addressed these tensions in the last line of her resignation letter:
“I wish you all strength in the extraordinary challenges you face as Prime Minister,” Healey wrote. “As always, our Labor government will continue to have my full support.”
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Edited by: Shawn Sinico