John Healey Backpedals on Military Cash Boost Despite Resigning over Row
The chancellor is prioritizing a nearly £5 billion equipment gap as Treasury pressure pushes back his 3% GDP target, the Financial Times reports.
- On Friday, Chancellor John Healey signaled he will "shelve his own target of spending 3% of Britain's GDP on defence by 2030," citing "fiscal discipline" as his "first priority" amid Treasury constraints.
- Healey previously resigned as defence secretary in June, protesting former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's refusal to meet the 3% threshold; now he argues current economic pressures make immediate increases unfeasible.
- Government insiders revealed Healey must address a defence equipment funding gap of nearly £5bn left by Starmer, amounting to about £1.2bn annually, while officials maintain commitment to NATO's 3.5% target by 2035.
- Critics have branded Healey a "hypocrite" for scaling back his target, while the Daily Telegraph reports Pentagon officials are exploring measures to "incentivise" the UK to meet NATO's 5% spending pledge, including challenging British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham's administration is reinforcing its "continuity" with Starmer's government, with Healey expected to detail the Treasury's financial strategy when he presents his first Budget in October.
10 Articles
10 Articles
John Healey's first Budget will fail to set defence target despite resigning from Cabinet amid Keir Starmer row
John Healey's first Budget will fail to set a target for Britain to spend three per cent of GDP on defence by 2030, despite the Chancellor resigning from the Cabinet over the issue just months ago.The Treasury has confirmed the milestone will not feature in the October 28 fiscal statement, with a decision on the timetable instead being pushed back until next year's spending review.The move puts Mr Healey in the position of overseeing the Treasur…
So, chancellor, what was the point of knifing Keir Starmer in the back?
As John Healey admits that defence spending will not rise to the level he demanded when he resigned as defence secretary two months ago, the new government is confirmed as more ‘continuity’ than change, says John Rentoul
Tories Blast Healey Over Defence Spending Target Delay
The Tories are giving it both barrels to John Healey over his decision to shift the goalposts on the government’s defence spending target: Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said today: “With Russia ramping up its threats every day, the world has only got more dangerous since John Healey resigned two months ago, saying Labour’s current…
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