John Healey, the new Chancellor, has abandoned his commitment to a 3% of GDP defence spending target in his October Budget, just months after resigning from the government over the issue. The move has prompted accusations of hypocrisy and raised questions about Prime Minister Andy Burnham's leadership.
Healey's resignation and U-turn
Healey resigned from his position as Defence Secretary on June 11 after then prime minister Keir Starmer refused to fully fund the government's long-term Defence Investment Plan. In his resignation letter, Healey warned that the funding shortfall would force cuts that would diminish the readiness of the armed forces and make the country less safe. He insisted Britain needed a clear path to 3% of GDP on defence by 2030.
His resignation won bipartisan respect. Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith publicly called Healey "an honourable man", while other opposition MPs praised his refusal to attach his name to a Budget he believed was unsafe for British troops.
Fiscal discipline takes priority
In his first major interview as Chancellor, Healey said he would not commit to the 3% defence spending target in his October Budget. When pressed by Sky News political editor Sam Coates, Healey said "fiscal discipline" had to be his first priority. He described the UK's financial position as "not easy" and said finding extra money immediately is a massive challenge.
When Coates accused Healey of offering "continuity" with the Starmer government, Healey responded: "We're a continuity of a Labour government with a change of leader."
Questions over Burnham's leadership
Healey's U-turn has drawn comparisons with his predecessor, Rachel Reeves, and has led to questions about whether Burnham, who pushed himself forward as PM, is becoming increasingly like the man he replaced.
