The resignation of Britain's Defence Secretary has thrown high-level talks with Australia into disarray and reignited debate about the future of the AUKUS submarine pact. John Healey quit after accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government of failing to adequately fund defence, forcing the cancellation of a planned appearance with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles. The political fallout is now being felt on both sides of the world, with critics questioning the stability of one of Australia's most ambitious defence projects.
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TRANSCRIPT
“At six a dramatic and unexpected resignation by the defence secretary John Healey... “
The shock resignation of John Healy has exposed deep divisions within the British government over defence spending.
Mr Healey quit after a dispute with Prime Minister Keir Starmer over military funding, warning Britain was failing to invest enough in its armed forces at a time of growing global threats.
Just hours earlier, he had been photographed jogging with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles ahead of a planned visit to Portsmouth Naval Base.
That event was later cancelled after Mr Healey's resignation.
The now former Defence Secretary had been publicly defending AUKUS and Britain's commitment to the submarine partnership.
“I'm not going to comment on figures - the Prime Minister knows what defence and the nation needs.”
The resignation has triggered a political storm in London.
Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch says Sir Keir Starmer's government is unraveling.
“Keir Starmer's premiership is falling apart, his health secretary resigned two weeks ago, his defence secretary resigned at a critical time when we are facing global threats and he is doing so because the prime minister is trying to please his back benchers by putting money into welfare instead of defence”.
The developments have also intensified scrutiny of AUKUS in Australia.
Peter Garrett, who is chairing a public inquiry into the submarine pact, says the timing of the resignation highlights why the project needs closer examination.
“The reason we need to have the enquiry now is there has never been a public debate or even a parliamentary debate about the biggest amount of money that Australian will ever spend in its defence history, at least up to now and the fact that Mr Marles' counterpart has disappeared overnight - I mean it's a bit of a symbol really”
Mr Garrett says Australia should make its own assessment of whether the deal is in the national interest.
“I think our credibility is only enhanced if we apply our own thinking as an independent sovereign nation as to what's in our best national interest, and that's the question that we're asking about AUKUS is it ultimately in our best national interest? And other nations will respect that, if we come to that view.”
The Greens have also seized on the developments.
Senator David Shoebridge says Richard Marles has been left politically exposed by turmoil among Australia's AUKUS partners.
“Defence minister Marles seems committed to a process of ritual global humiliation as he does a world tour of AUKUS. Richard Marles went to Singapore and came back with 3 second hand submarines. He then travels off to the UK for AUKUS and is met by the resignation of the UK defence minister, literally been left standing at the altar with not a nuclear sub to be seen. You can't make this stuff up.”
The federal government has rejected suggestions the resignation will affect the submarine deal.
Cabinet minister Tim Ayres says AUKUS has deep support across Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States and will continue regardless of changes in personnel.
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