By Joe Jackson and Peter Hutchison, AFP
British Defence Secretary John Healey resigned on June 11, 2026, in a surprise move which he said was due to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his finance ministry failing to commit sufficient resources to long-term defence plans.
British Defence Secretary John Healey sensationally quit on Thursday (UK time), accusing beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the finance ministry of failing to commit enough money to protect the country.
His shock resignation weakens Starmer's authority further at a precarious moment for the embattled Labour leader, a week before a by-election which could prompt a bid to replace him.
In stinging criticism, Healey warned that Starmer's long-awaited Defence Investment Plan (DIP) for funding over the next decade -- which the premier has yet to publish -- risked making Britain "less safe".
