Dan Jarvis appointed new UK Secretary of Defense; Healey resigns over military spending dispute
Key takeaways
- Jarvis was previously Minister of State at the Home Office from 6 July 2024 to 11 June 2026, and Minister of State at the Cabinet Office from 6 September 2025 to 11 June 2026.
- You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country, Healey wrote in his letter to PM Starmer.
- Starmer responded with a letter expressing regret at Healey's resignation and by appointing Dan Jarvis, as defense secretary.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Dan Jarvis MBE MP was appointed as UK Secretary of State for Defense on Thursday 11 June 2026, following the resignation of John Healey amid months-long dispute over military spending, and accusing Prime Minister of failing to commit the resources needed to keep the country safe from mounting threats, especially Russia.
Jarvis was previously Minister of State at the Home Office from 6 July 2024 to 11 June 2026, and Minister of State at the Cabinet Office from 6 September 2025 to 11 June 2026.
Healey, a previously loyal minister, had been locked in talks with Starmer and finance minister Rachel Reeves over how to meet the additional military spending needed, delaying Britain s Defense Investment Plan, which was due last year.