National security was meant to be Keir Starmer’s strength. Now it’s become a liability.

Cabinet resignations happen and are often painful affairs, but it is difficult to recall a resignation letter quite as devastating as John Healey’s. This was not a minister leaving over personal scandal or a disagreement on the margins of government policy – it was the Defence Secretary accusing the Prime Minister of failing in one of the most fundamental duties: protecting the country.

Healey was excoriating in his condemnation of Starmer’s approach to defence spending, writing that the Prime Minister had been “unable” and the Treasury “unwilling” to commit the resources needed to meet the challenge posed by rising threats. He said Starmer’s financial settlement “falls well short of what is required”, especially amid warnings that a Russian attack on NATO could come as soon as 2030.

Starmer has repeatedly sought to present security and defence as defining strengths of his administration and has received plaudits for his handling of foreign affairs. Labour’s pitch to voters has often rested on the idea that it can be trusted to take the steps to keep Britain safe in an increasingly dangerous world. John Healey’s resignation on the grounds that Starmer’s government is not prepared to invest enough in the UK’s armed forces strikes at the heart of that claim. For all of the Prime Minister’s talk of an end to incrementalism, Healey’s damning criticism of his leadership suggests a growing gap between Starmer’s rhetoric and his ability to deliver results.

Healey was not regarded as a troublesome minister or an ideological rebel. He was widely seen as a serious, loyal, principled and competent operator, as reflected in the cross-party tributes to him following his resignation. If even Healey has reached the point where he feels compelled to walk away as the country faces critical defence challenges, many MPs will conclude the problem runs deeper than a disagreement over spending.

Healey’s criticism was echoed by Al Carns, a decorated military veteran who has warned about the risks of not providing those serving in uniform with the resources they need. Together, their resignations reinforce a perception that has increasingly dogged the government: paralysis. Time and again ministers have seen progress slowed by battles with the Treasury and with other departments, while Number 10 seemingly shirks responsibility for taking tough decisions.

The Treasury rejected Healey’s condemnation, arguing that the level of additional defence spending he was seeking would have required “cuts to schools and hospitals”. However, one minister told Peston that the row reflected wider uncertainty and a lack of political capital at the top of government, suggesting decision-making has been hampered by questions over Starmer’s political future.

With two prominent Cabinet ministers resigning in a matter of weeks, Starmer’s leadership now sits on incredibly thin ice as he faces a damning indictment that he lacks the authority and political courage to deliver what the country needs.

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