UK defence secretary resigns over military spending
6/11/202625 min
Britain's defence secretary, John Healey, has resigned, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to commit the resources needed to protect the nation from rising threats. Mr Healey said a long-delayed investment plan fell well short of what was required to bring defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 - a NATO target. He highlighted Mr Starmer's recent warning that Russia could attack the alliance as soon as that year.
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Photo: John Healey, who has resigned as Britain's defence secretary, delivering a speech at an event in May
Credit: PA
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsWill Grant0:00
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Charlotte Gallagher· Host0:03
[news jingle] This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. [news music] I'm Charlotte Gallagher, and at fifteen hours GMT on Thursday, the 11th of June, these are our main stories. The UK's Defense Secretary resigns, saying a plan put forward by Keir Starmer could make the country less safe. Iran says the ceasefire with the US is now practically meaningless. Is there any hope for an imminent peace deal? [news music] Also in this podcast, we take you behind the scenes as the World Cup is about to kick off.
Will Grant0:43
It is resplendent. It is amazing. It looks completely ready. The pitch is pristine. The seats are incredible.
Charlotte Gallagher· Host0:52
[news music] We begin in Britain, where the man in charge of the country's defense has announced his sudden resignation from the government. In a letter to the Prime Minister, John Healey said he was proud of what the Labour government had achieved in the past two years in terms of defense commitments, but the Prime Minister and the Treasury had failed to provide the money the nation needs to defend itself. Our UK political correspondent, Rob Watson, told me why John Healey is resigning now.
Rob Watson1:23
We're expecting the government to announce what it has prepared to spend on defense in the coming days,