Next UK Defence Secretary in 2026?John Healey

New: Andy Burnham has told NATO’s Mark Rutte that his decision to make John Healey his chancellor is a “signal of his intent” on defence • • Defence spending is clearly going to rise more rapidly, question is how will it be funded - senior officials have pointed to defence bonds

Cabinet appointments so far: • John Healey - Chancellor • Ed Miliband - Foreign • Shabana Mahmood - Home Secretary • Louise Haigh - First Secretary of State, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office • Pat McFadden - Work and Pensions Secretary

This is a bit odd. • • Andy Burnham has just spoken to the NATO secretary general - but has not yet appointed a Defence secretary. • • A Downing Street spokeswoman said: • • "The Prime Minister spoke to the NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, this evening. • • "The Prime Minister began by congratulating the Secretary General on the successful NATO summit held in Ankara earlier this month, and the strong signal of unity it sent to the world in such volatile times. • • "Updating on the appointment of the former Defence Secretary, John Healey, as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Prime Minister said the appointment was a signal of his intent. • • "The leaders also discussed the situation in Ukraine, and the Secretary General welcomed the Prime Minister's strong statement of support for Ukraine earlier today. • • "Both leaders looked forward to speaking again soon." • • More at @GBNEWS..”

Al Arabiya correspondent Aroub Abdulhaq: Ministers close to Starmer resign as Andy Burnham takes over as Prime Minister... Former Defense Secretary John Healey arrives at Downing Street amid expectations of his return to his post.

John Healey becomes chancellor weeks after shock resignation from defence job

One month after resigning from Keir Starmer's government, former Defense Secretary John Healey has been appointed Treasury Secretary by the new British Prime Minister.

One month after resigning from Keir Starmer's government, former Defence Secretary John Healey was appointed head of the Treasury by the new British Prime Minister.

Live: #UNITED_KINGDOM Andy Burnham's team, the new Prime Minister, is beginning to take shape: • John Healey, former Minister of Defence in Keir Starmer's government, is appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer...

John Healey has just arrived in the Treasury. He is a surprise choice as Chancellor but perhaps should not have been. He spent half a decade in Gordon Brown’s Treasury with specific knowledge of that era’s attempt to regenerate and devolve power - the Regional Development Agencies, later scrapped by the Coalition Government. He co wrote nerdy regionalism pamphlets with @edballs • • NUmber 10 is stressing that Andy Burnham and John Healey “have the same outlook” on the need to maintain economic stability and the current fiscal rules, reindustrialisation, devolution, helping people with the cost-of-living crisis and backing British jobs and British industry to drive growth across the country.

Ex-Defence Sec John Healey who quit over defence spending handed control of the purse strings. • • His record on housing, both as a minister, and at the MOD is understood to have been a key factor for the PM, who wants to deliver an ambitious council house building programme. They share similar views on deindustrialisation, devolution, cost of living etc • • Healey also held ministerial roles in the Treasury under Gordon Brown, and is well-respected internationally

John Healey appointed UK chancellor by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, weeks after quitting defence job over spending row

Former Defence Secretary John Healey is now the Chancellor

Breaking: • • John Healey, who quit over defence spending, is the Chancellor • • Worth remembering that when Healey quit he argued that Britain should spent 3 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030 • • It's currently on track to be 2.7 per cent by 2030

ALERT: UK's PM Burnham appoints ex-defence secretary John Healey as finance minister: office

Live: John Healey, who quit Starmer’s cabinet as defense secretary, is the new chancellor of the Exchequer --- a surprise appointment. Healey resigned in June arguing that a proposed uplift in military spending was insufficient. He is a political veteran, regarded as a safe pair of hands, and was a junior minister in the Treasury in Tony Blair’s government.

Live: John Healey confirmed as UK chancellor

BREAKING: John Healey is Andy Burnham's surprise pick as chancellor, with former defence secretary emerging as compromise candidate after Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood were both tipped for the role.

Live: John Healey announced as UK chancellor

*JOHN HEALEY IS NAMED UK CHANCELLOR OF EXCHEQUER

BREAKING - new chancellor is John Healey

BREAKING: John Healey is Andy Burnham's surprise pick as chancellor, emerging as compromise candidate after Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood were both tipped. • • The former defence secretary - who was a Treasury minister under Gordon Brown - is seen as a safe pair of hands who will do new PM's bidding as chancellor.

Live: Former defence secretary John Healey appointed chancellor

UK Government: Hon John Healey MP as Chancellor of Exchequer