Healey quits as defence secretary in row over military spending

Healey quits as defence secretary in row over military spendingJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleRichard Wheeler,Political reporterandJoshua Nevett,Political reporterEPA/ShutterstockJohn Healey has quit as defence secretary amid a battle within government over funding for a long-delayed military spending plan.He said a proposed settlement for the defence investment plan (DIP) "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time".And in a scathing resignation letter, he said the prime minister had been "unable" and the Treasury "unwilling" to "commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats".In response, Sir Keir Starmer said the plan would deliver "an unprecedented increase in defence spending" in a "sustainable and fair" way, without relying on "irresponsible borrowing".The shock resignation of one of Sir Keir's most loyal cabinet allies has stunned the government, and further weakened a prime minister whose long-term future in Downing Street was already in doubt.It also comes days before a crucial by-election at which Labour candidate Andy Burnham is seeking a return to Westminster to enable him to challenge Sir Keir for the premiership.Healey is the second cabinet minister to resign from Sir Keir's government in recent weeks, after Wes Streeting quit as health secretary having "lost confidence" in the PM's leadership.Sir Keir has faced calls to resign within his own party following a poor set of election results in England, Scotland and Wales last month, although he has told supporters he will stand in any Labour leadership contest.Internal wrangling over defence spending has been rumbling on for months following multiple delays to the DIP, which was originally due last autumn.But the issue has come to a head in the run-up to a summit of the Nato military alliance in Turkey next...