John Healey has resigned from his position as Defence Secretary, with reports indicating his departure stemmed from a disagreement over the level of defence funding offered by the Prime Minister. It is understood that Mr Healey had been advocating for a significantly larger increase in spending than the deal he was presented with on Monday.
Sources close to the matter suggest Mr Healey was pushing for a commitment to raise defence spending to 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030. This ambition, which the government has previously acknowledged, was reportedly not included in the Prime Minister's offer. The proposed deal, amounting to an extra £13.5 billion over the next four years, was reportedly seen by Mr Healey as insufficient to meet the country's growing defence needs, especially given increased global instability and commitments to allies.
According to Mr Healey's analysis, as outlined in his resignation letter, the offered increase would effectively translate into cuts to investment. This is due to the escalating demands on the military, including support for Ukraine, safeguarding Gulf allies from Iranian aggression, and ongoing efforts to deter Russian actions in the Arctic region. Defence sources further suggested that once 'Treasury trickery' was accounted for, the real increase would be closer to £10 billion, significantly below the estimated £28 billion needed to prevent substantial cuts.
Mr Healey reportedly informed the Prime Minister that a percentage increase of just 0.08%, moving spending from 2.6% of GDP to 2.68% by 2030, would not adequately ensure national security. His long-standing commitment to reversing what he termed the 'hollowing out' of the armed forces meant that the proposed settlement ultimately fell short of his expectations and what he believed was necessary for the UK's defence capabilities.
The resignation of a loyal and long-serving minister such as Mr Healey is a significant development for the government, potentially highlighting internal divisions on a critical policy area. While some have praised his decision to stand firm on defence spending, others within the Ministry of Defence have reportedly pointed to long-standing budgetary challenges that pre-date his tenure.