Tag Archives: John Healey

Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns After Spending Bust-Up With Keir Starmer

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Defence secretary John Healey has resigned following a bust-up with Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves over spending on Britain’s armed forces.

In a blistering letter to the prime minister, he said he had been left with “no other option” after disagreement over the government’s long-delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP).

As well as Starmer, he also accused the chancellor of blocking his pleas for more money for the Ministry of Defence.

He revealed that No.10 and the Treasury wanted to increase defence spending from 2.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) next year to just 2.68% in 2030 – well short of the 3% Healey wanted.

Healey said: “This new era for defence required further investment through the Defence Investment Plan.

“The excellent and extensive cross-government work that completed in January – overseen by you, me and the chancellor – confirmed the scale of the challenge and the rising demands on defence.

“Since then, 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 said that “demands on defence have increased still further”, pointing to the Iran war, threats from Russia and escalation in the Ukraine conflict.

Healey said his resignation letter was one “I never expected to write, and I do so now with great regret and reluctance”.

He said the proposed DIP, which he was shown on Monday afternoon, “falls well sort of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time”.

“You know what defence needs,” Healey said. “You made the argument for this powerfully in your speech at the Munich Security Conference back in February.

“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.

“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 as your defence secretary.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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Defence Secretary Demands Kemi Badenoch Apologise After Criticising UK Troops

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The defence secretary has called on Kemi Badenoch to apologise after she claimed British troops were “just hanging around” the UK’s military base in Cyprus.

The Conservative leader caused a stir on Friday morning when she called for Britain to take stronger action against Iran after its strikes against RAF Akrotiri.

Badenoch claimed that at the moment British jets are just “hanging around” the Middle East, even though the US “has been mobilising” in the region for months.

“Our guys, our government, were just sitting there shrugging their shoulders,” the leader of the opposition said.

But Presenter Charlie Stayt jumped in, pointing out: “The evidence we have from the British government and the British military is they have been involved in shooting down missiles and drones.”

“You have characterised what is already happening by the British military, by the RAF, as ‘just hanging around’,” he added.

Badenoch hit back: “What I have said is they are catching arrows. They need to catch the archer.”

But cabinet minister John Healey slammed Badenoch, pointing out that he was on the ground in the UK’s base in Cyprus on Thursday.

He said: “I saw how our British forces are working round the clock, in the face of repeated air raid sirens, to protect British lives and British interests.

“And to suggest they’re ‘just hanging around’ to score political points insults the men and women of our Armed Forces.

“She should apologise and withdraw her comments.”

Iran launched a drone strike on the UK’s RAF base in Cyprus on Sunday shortly after Keir Starmer gave his permission for US forces to launch limited and defensive attacks on Iran from two British military sites.

While sending more military personnel to the region to protect the British citizens in the area, the prime minister has made it very clear that the UK is still only acting in a defensive capacity.

He has insisted Britain will not be joining the US and Israeli’s offensive strikes against Iran.

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