British Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns, Disrupting AUKUS Event

Portsmouth, UK — British Defence Secretary John Healey resigned on Thursday, hours before a scheduled joint media event with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles at a naval base in Portsmouth. The event, which was to include a tour and a capabilities demonstration related to the AUKUS alliance, was subsequently cancelled.

The resignation followed a meeting between Healey and Marles, alongside Foreign Ministers Penny Wong and Yvette Cooper, in London the previous day.

Resignation Details

"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."
— John Healey, in his resignation letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer

John Healey had served as UK Defence Secretary since July 2024. In his resignation letter, Healey stated that the government had not committed sufficient resources for national defence "at a time of rising threats." He wrote that the Treasury had been "unwilling" to provide the necessary funding and that without a sufficient Defence Investment Plan, he would be forced to make decisions reducing force readiness and increasing risk to personnel.

Alongside Healey's resignation, Armed Forces Minister Al Carns and Labour MP Pamela Nash also resigned from their defence-related posts. The resignations occur within a Labour government already facing internal disputes over defence spending. Former health secretary Wes Streeting resigned from the cabinet in the previous month.

Statements from Officials

Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed pride in defence investments and thanked Healey for his work.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles described Healey as a good friend and affirmed that Australia-UK ties remain strong.

Political Context and Implications

The resignation adds to instability in the government. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is considered a potential leadership challenger and is expected to contest a by-election in the Makerfield seat. A YouGov survey of Labour members found that 59% would choose Burnham over Starmer in a head-to-head contest.

The resignations occur amid a broader debate within the UK Labour government over defence spending, following a strategic review the previous year. Plans to increase defence spending by approximately 15 billion pounds require cuts in other areas. Healey's resignation highlighted this funding shortfall.

Impact on AUKUS and Bilateral Relations

The disruption comes as Australia seeks to advance the AUKUS submarine project. Critics have raised concerns about the pace of UK shipbuilding for the new nuclear-powered submarines (SSN-AUKUS). However, British experts from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and Queen Mary University stated they did not expect the resignation to affect bilateral relations. Healey and Marles had met earlier in the week in London and in Singapore with US counterpart Pete Hegseth.

Defence and Nuclear Spending Context

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), nine nuclear-armed states spent nearly US$119 billion on nuclear arsenals in 2025, a 19% increase from the previous year. The United States spent the most (US$69.2 billion), followed by China, with the United Kingdom third at US$12.6 billion. The UK has overtaken Russia as the third largest nuclear spender, with nuclear weapons expected to represent 25% of its defence budget.

The UK has announced plans to purchase 12 nuclear-capable F-35A aircraft and join NATO's nuclear sharing arrangements. The Ministry of Defence has been criticized over a lack of transparency on nuclear spending, with over £6 billion in assets lacking proper accounting records in its 2024-25 annual report.