UK Defence Secretary Resigns Over Spending Gap Between NATO Pledge and Budget Reality

John Healey resigned as Defence Secretary on 11 June 2026 after months of dispute with Prime Minister Keir Starmer over military funding. Healey, who helped negotiate Britain's 5% GDP defence spending commitment at NATO summits in 2025, said the government was unwilling to allocate sufficient resources. The resignation exposes a structural fiscal constraint: the Treasury cannot match pledges made internationally. Starmer committed to publishing a Defence Investment Plan before July's NATO summit.