UK defence minister resigns with stinging rebuke of PM Starmer

British Defence Secretary John Healey resigned on June 11, 2026, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Treasury of failing to commit sufficient resources to defence. In a stinging resignation letter, Healey warned that Starmer's yet-to-be-published Defence Investment Plan (DIP) risked making Britain 'less safe'. He noted the DIP would only raise defence spending to 2.68% of GDP by 2030, far below what is needed. The resignation comes at a precarious moment for Starmer, a week before a by-election that could prompt a bid to replace him.