Today (11 June 2026), Rt Hon John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, resigned from the UK Government.
Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS, comments:
The news of the Rt Hon John Healey’s resignation today is one that has sent us reeling.
Over the years that I have known him, he has consistently shown himself to be an intelligent, supportive and highly principled man, who has the best interests of UK defence as top of mind in everything that he does.
His resignation today is something to lament, and is truly a damning reflection on the current state of affairs. The consequences for the UK, and indeed our allies, of getting our Defence Investment Plan wrong – as now seems certain – are of a magnitude far beyond our worst fears.
National security and defence of the realm is not an accountant’s job. It is imperative that an adequately funded Defence Investment Plan is published as soon as possible. It should not take the resignation of an honourable man for that realization to sink in.
On a personal level, I thank John for his service and tireless recognition of the vital importance of industry as a strategic enabler to all of UK security.
