Britain’s defence ⁠minister Healey quits over military spending

⁠Britain’s defence ⁠minister has resigned over ‌a disagreement with the prime minister about defence spending. In a letter addressed to Keir Starmer and posted on X on Thursday, John Healey accused the prime minister of failing to commit the resources needed to defend the country. Healey said the financial settlement he received on Monday “falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time,” rising only to 2.68 percent of GDP in 2030 at a time when he argued a firm 3 percent headmark by that year was essential. Healey invoked Starmer’s own words against him saying “there could be an attack by Russia on Nato as soon as 2030.” Without adequate funding, Healey said: “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.”

My letter to the Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/j9z9nmLCb1

— John Healey (@JohnHealey_MP) June 11, 2026

Britain’s defence and finance ministries have been locked in talks for months over how to meet rising demands to expand military spending, delaying the country’s Defence Investment Plan since last year. The resignation comes as Britain juggles an expanding set of military commitments: leading a multinational Strait of Hormuz mission amid the conflict with Iran, heading NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission in the High North, and facing increased Russian activity toward the UK and NATO allies alongside escalating attacks in Ukraine.