Sky News interrupted its usual programming for a major breaking news alert that dealt a significant blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Presenter Matt Barbet made the announcement, telling viewers: 'We've just had some reaction online from the US government to the resignation of John Healey.'
US Response to Healey's Resignation
Matt then read out the social media response from the United States' Under Secretary of War, Elbridge Colby, who wrote: 'The United Kingdom has an extraordinarily proud military history. It commands our respect. There is again a great need for more British military strength in this critical time. We urge the UK to meet that need with urgency, scale, and determination.'
Healey's Resignation Letter
On Thursday (June 12), the now former Defence Secretary announced his shocking resignation in a statement, accusing Starmer of putting the UK’s security at risk at a time of growing international threats. In the blistering letter, he penned: 'You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats.'
The Sky News presenter continued: 'That is just one of several posts, but you get the idea, and actually, it's not a huge change from what the US has been saying for quite a while. Which is, it wants the UK and other NATO countries to spend more on defence as a percentage of GDP. They prefer 5%, I think the UK is currently aiming for three.'
'Nevertheless, John Healey doesn't think it's enough, and it sounds like Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby, from that post, agrees with him,' Matt concluded.
Further US Comments
In his continued response, the US principal adviser went on: 'As I said recently in Normandy, "Here soldiers, sailors, and airmen from Great Britain and Canada demonstrated the courage, tenacity, dedication, daring, and loyalty that won them the lasting admiration and gratitude of the whole world. The United Kingdom has an extraordinarily proud military history. It commands our respect. There is again a great need for more British military strength in this critical time. We urge the UK to meet that need with urgency, scale, and determination."'
Elbridge continued: 'Our purpose now must be to take our resolve from the legacy of Normandy – to look at our challenges realistically and seriously, to build our military strength individually and together, and to restore our home fronts that can, once again, supply overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions.'
Starmer's Response
Starmer responded to Healey's resignation letter and rejected the criticism of defence spending. He insisted that the long-delayed defence investment plan (Dip), which was expected before Christmas last year, would 'provide the resources our military needs to keep us safe'.
In a letter to Healey, the PM added that his government would increase defence spending in a 'sustainable' way, warning that 'irresponsible borrowing' would put the country's finances at risk: 'I will always do what is needed to keep our country safe.'
The former Minister of State for Security, Dan Jarvis, has now been appointed to the role of Defence Secretary.
