UK: Defense Secretary John Healey quits in military spending dispute
Key takeaways
- Britain's defense minister has abruptly quit his post, saying the government's plans to bolster defense spending in the coming years are inadequate.
- The unexpected resignation compounds pressure on under-fire UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who in recent weeks had seemed to weather the worst of a storm about a potential challenge for the Labour Party leadership.
- Britain's Defense and Finance ministries had been locked in talks for months on how quickly to increase defense spending in the next few years.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Britain's defense minister has abruptly quit his post, saying the government's plans to bolster defense spending in the coming years are inadequate. This could prove a further source of pressure for PM Keir Starmer.
https://p.dw.com/p/5FCdj John Healey's (see here) resignation comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer struggles to hold on to power Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire/dpa/picture alliance Advertisement British Defense Secretary John Healey published his resignation letter at lunchtime on Thursday, quitting his post amid a dispute over military spending plans for the coming years.
The unexpected resignation compounds pressure on under-fire UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who in recent weeks had seemed to weather the worst of a storm about a potential challenge for the Labour Party leadership.