U.K. defense chief resigns, says military funding plan "falls well short"

World U.K. defense chief John Healey resigns, says government's military funding plan "falls well short" By Elena Giuliano June 11, 2026 / 12:49 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey resigned on Thursday, citing a shortfall in planned funding for Britain's armed forces at a time of mounting international security challenges.In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Healey wrote that the Labour government entered office "recognizing Britain faced a new era of threat which demanded a new era for defense," but that the government had failed to deliver the resources needed to meet those challenges.He said the government's plan for defense, which he was "first given in full" on Monday, "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time."Healey's surprise departure follows months of disputes over the government's Defense Investment Plan, or DIP. Healey said the plan had been the subject of extensive discussions recognizing the "scale of the challenge" posed by both national and international security threats. In February last year, Starmer suggested that the government's ambition was to raise defense spending to 3% of GDP within a couple of years. Months later, NATO leaders agreed on a target of spending 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035. Starmer is set to meet with NATO counterparts in Ankara in July to discuss defense commitments.  John Healey leaves 10 Downing Street in London, England on June 09, 2026. Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images "You know what defence needs," Healy wrote in his letter, addressing Starmer. "You made the argument for this powerfully in your speech at the Munich Security Conference back in February. Without a DIP that meets the moment in this way, I am being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations, and could make the country less safe.""After explainin...