Britain's defense secretary resigned Thursday after accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government of failing to adequately fund the military despite rising threats from Russia and growing NATO demands, delivering a major political blow to the prime minister ahead of July's alliance summit.In a sharply worded resignation letter, John Healey said the government had failed to commit the resources needed to execute Britain's long-term defense strategy, arguing the country's armed forces risk being left short of the money, personnel and industrial capacity needed to meet mounting security challenges."This new era for defence required further investment through the Defence Investment Plan," Healey wrote."Since then, 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."While European governments have pledged major increases in defense spending and warned that Russia poses a long-term threat to the alliance, many continue to struggle with the political and fiscal realities of rebuilding armed forces after decades of post-Cold War cuts.
The debate has taken on added urgency as Trump pushes European nations to assume a greater share of responsibility for their own defense.In a sharply worded resignation letter, John Healey said the government had failed to commit the resources needed to execute Britain's long-term defense strategy. (Peter Nicholls/Pool Reuters)UK DEFENSE MINISTER WARNS PUTIN OF 'SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES' AFTER COVERT UNDERWATER MILITARY OPERATIONHealey's departure appears to stem from a dispute over the pace and scale of future defense spending.In his letter, he argued that Britain should commit to spending 3% of gross domestic product on defense by 2030 and criticized a government funding plan that he said would reach only 2.68% by the end of the decade."The Government cannot warn about Russia, Iran and China, then produce a Defence Investment Plan t...