British Secretary of Defense John Healey has tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in the latest blow to the embattled Labour government.
Healey complained in an open letter that Starmer has been “unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling to commit the resources” required for sweeping reforms he sought to implement and to raise the spending level to 3% of GDP by 2030 to meet Britain’s obligation to NATO.
The minister cited the US-Israeli attack on Iran in late February and the increasing strain that European members of the American-led bloc are facing amid doubts about Washington’s commitment as factors necessitating more money for the military.
According to Haley, he resigned in protest at the military budget released in full on Monday that he said “falls well short of what is required” by the ministry to field battle-ready armed forces.
Starmer’s leadership has also been rocked by a scandal over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US, who was a known associate of disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as the disastrous results of local elections in May in which the ruling party lost dozens of councils and almost 1,500 council seats.
There were rumors that the party could replace its head and vote in a new prime minister, but Starmer’s government has so far survived the turmoil. Britain has seen a string of short-lived prime ministers in recent years. Since the Conservative Party’s Theresa May came to power in 2016, five people have held the position, with Starmer being the first from Labour in the series.
The UK, along with most other members of NATO, committed to boost spending during a leaders’ summit last year. The commitment came in response to pressure from US President Donald Trump, who accused European nations of abusing American protection and failing to pull their weight. The proposed benchmark was set at 5% of GDP, including 3.5% in direct military spending and 1.5% in security-related expenses. The UK said it would reach the milestone by 2035.
The British military has suffered from underfunding for years, with critics arguing that London should not be trying to project power overseas as it is no longer a global empire. Just last week, the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s co-flagship, was unable to set sail to join a NATO exercise after a technical issue was discovered. Its sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, was similarly pulled out of NATO maneuvers in 2024.