John Healey’s complaint is that Starmer sat on this problem for months before making a derisory offer

John Healey’s resignation as defence secretary on Thursday was a long time brewing, though in the end the denouement was swift. It leaves an already weak Keir Starmer without a defence strategy less than a month before a Nato summit and an unresolved row about spending as Donald Trump threatens to restart the bombing of Iran.

On Monday, No 10 finally told Healey how much more money it was prepared to give the Ministry of Defence to fund major projects as part of the defence investment plan (Dip).

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© Photograph: House of Commons

© Photograph: House of Commons

© Photograph: House of Commons

Elon Musk’s rocket company is spending big and losing money. That has raised questions about whether it can justify its valuation for its blockbuster initial public offering.

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The resignation dealt another blow to embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is already facing demands from Labour colleagues to step down.

The resignation dealt another blow to embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is already facing demands from Labour colleagues to step down.

The defence secretary has resigned over the government’s military spending plans, in another major blow for Keir Starmer. In a scathing letter to the prime minister, John Healey said the long-awaited defence investment plan ‘falls well short of what is required for defence’ and that he would have to take decisions that ‘could make Britain less safe’. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to policy editor Kiran Stacey

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© Photograph: WPA/Getty Images

© Photograph: WPA/Getty Images

© Photograph: WPA/Getty Images

The defence secretary’s departure was the wrong resignation at the worst possible time for the prime minister

• UK politics live – latest updates

During Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions, the defence secretary was standing at the other end of the Commons, away from other cabinet members on the government frontbench. His expression gave nothing away as Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch blamed one another for spending too much on welfare and not enough on defence. In hindsight, he was possibly thinking “to hell with both of them”. Most defence secretaries go native sooner or later, imagining themselves to be embedded officers serving on the frontline. Tory Ben Wallace appeared to hate most of his cabinet colleagues by the time he resigned in 2023.

Less than 24 hours after PMQs, Healey had also resigned, his departure being all the more powerful for being so unexpected. This exit seemed to come out of a clear blue sky. There had been no briefings to the media in the preceding days. No threats to stand down if his demands were not met. All the arguments had taken place behind closed doors. A determination to do the right thing throughout.

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© Photograph: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

© Photograph: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

© Photograph: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

A top election handicapper shifted a trio of Senate races toward Democrats, as the minority party looks to regain control of the upper chamber this November.  Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics shifted the Alaska race from leans Republican to toss-up, the North Carolina race from toss-up to leans Democratic…

A top election handicapper shifted a trio of Senate races toward Democrats, as the minority party looks to regain control of the upper chamber this November.  Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics shifted the Alaska race from leans Republican to toss-up, the North Carolina race from toss-up to leans Democratic…

Former defence secretary accuses PM of putting UK’s security at risk at a time of growing international threats

Keir Starmer’s premiership has been pushed to the brink of collapse after the shock resignation of John Healey as defence secretary undermined his security credentials and risked shredding his remaining political authority.

In a blistering resignation letter, Healey accused Starmer and his chancellor, Rachel Reeves, of putting the country’s security at risk, saying the long-awaited defence investment plan (Dip) fell well short of what was required.

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© Photograph: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

© Photograph: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

© Photograph: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

John Healey has resigned as defence secretary over Sir Keir Starmer’s defence investment plan, accusing the Prime Minister of failing to "meet the moment" over his long-delayed proposals to boost military spending.

The post John Healey Quits as Defence Secretary Over Starmer Military Funding Failure appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

As the midterm elections approach, many leading Democrats are rethinking their approach to climate change.

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Government confirms Jarvis’s move from role as security minister to replace John Healey

Ryan Henderson, assistant chief constable for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, is about to hold a press conference about last night’s rioting.

Andy Burnham is facing criticism after saying that he thinks the Waspi women should be entitled to “some” compensation.

I’ll stick by the Waspi women because they deserve some recompense for the unfairness.

One government figure decried Burnham’s intervention as “pathetic”, adding: “He can’t say no to anyone.”

An ally of Sir Keir Starmer likened Burnham’s economic agenda to that of hard-left former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and argued that the mayor’s intervention would harm his chances of manoeuvring the prime minister out of Downing Street.

Andy Burnham’s continued support for Waspi women is both welcome and hugely refreshing. While some politicians have broken their promises, it takes real courage to speak out and say what millions of people across the country and hundreds of MPs from all parties already know - that 1950s-born women deserve justice.

Andy has always recognised the unfair way in which state pension equalisation was introduced.

As mayor of Greater Manchester, he supported Waspi women in the city-region with early access to concessionary travel, providing some recompense to them within affordability limits.

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© Photograph: House of Commons/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: House of Commons/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: House of Commons/AFP/Getty Images

Home secretary also urged to force tech firms into sharing data on stolen devices and if they are reactivated

The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has asked the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, to force all phone companies to make stolen devices “unusable bricks” in order to make them harder to sell on and less desirable to steal.

London is widely regarded as the phone-snatching capital of Europe, with between 200 and 300 devices stolen each day. The city accounts for up to three-quarters of all mobile phone thefts in England and Wales.

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© Photograph: Jeffrey Blackler/Alamy

© Photograph: Jeffrey Blackler/Alamy

© Photograph: Jeffrey Blackler/Alamy

Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) urged Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to create a vaccine for New World screwworms on Wednesday after the parasite infestation returned to the US for the first time in 60 years.  Grassley said he’d spoken to Rollins about developing a vaccine for screwworms months before the recent outbreak in Texas. …

Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) urged Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to create a vaccine for New World screwworms on Wednesday after the parasite infestation returned to the US for the first time in 60 years.  Grassley said he’d spoken to Rollins about developing a vaccine for screwworms months before the recent outbreak in Texas. …

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow joined forces to push for a provision to combat child exploitation that became law as part of the immigration enforcement reconciliation package. President Trump on Wednesday signed the nearly $70 billion measure into law, fully funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol through…

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow joined forces to push for a provision to combat child exploitation that became law as part of the immigration enforcement reconciliation package. President Trump on Wednesday signed the nearly $70 billion measure into law, fully funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol through…

Fashion and sportswear group, which owns 26% of the German luxury brand, is now seeking full control

Mike Ashley’s retail group, Frasers, has launched a near-€2bn takeover offer for the German luxury fashion brand Hugo Boss.

The fashion and sportswear group, which owns 26% of Hugo Boss, said it is offering to pay about €1.98bn (£1.73bn) for the remainder of the business to take full control.

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© Photograph: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

© Photograph: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

© Photograph: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

Mr. Kiley dropped his Republican affiliation earlier this year. The newly drawn Sixth Congressional District is widely considered to be favorable for Democrats.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times, Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

The main super PAC tied to the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee released its first ads backing Ms. Stevens, a moderate congresswoman locked in a tight three-way primary.

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