Defence Secretary John Healey resigns and calls out Rachel Reeves

[Fillies4DeclanRice]

John Healey has become the latest government minister to resign, basically saying he cannot do the job of keeping the UK safe because Labour's economic model is in such a mess.

His resignation letter effectively says the government needs to spend far less on welfare benefits and net zero, and start taxing less and spending more on defence.

This is total chaos now.

He is right and this is what the government has been told,time and time again

Respect for Healey.

Totally correct.

He’s right. Good on him.

Good on him for saying the truth. Maybe he will defect.

Everyone says he’s right, but that’s not the reaction any proposed welfare cuts actually get.

Totally agree. I've worked in benefits advice for the past eight years and it's crazy some of the amounts that people get and how easily they get them. Not saying this is the case for all benefit claimants but serious reform is way overdue.

Who can take his place? Can’t think of anyone capable!

But at the same time, Angela Rayner has stated it is not right to send care workers who came during the Boris Wave back. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cddl0nz4v5vo
All whilst the general population seem to care massively about immigration.

Reeves is clearly bowing to red Labour due to the Burnham thing.

The Labour Party as a whole do not have the best interests of the country at heart and are not listening. The bond markets and IMF ultimately will punish us all.
Of course Healey is right.

Best outcome for all of us would be if the sensible Labour and Tory get together and sort this mess out. And leave the far right and far left ideologues behind in the bin for good.

Can’t carry on paying billions out for people who won’t work, and don’t even have to look for work

Bring back National Service. The young need to learn discipline.

The trouble is, what the country really needs right now, are right wing policies.

The labour party just won't do it though. The country is less important than their principles.

Principles or luxury beliefs? I think it is more the latter. They have a duty to keep us all safe and they are failing in their duty.

One bizarre paradox in all this is the more chaotic Labour become, the more potentially electable they also become.

For example, Labour MPs I'd never heard of before have now realised they can and should call out their embarrassing colleagues. Jonathan Hinder said last week that the trans obsession among Labour MPs could kill the party off, now Pat McFadden and John Healey have called out the parliamentary party's focus on tax and welfare spend.

They're in a minority but if they can win this civil war in Labour, I could potentially vote for them.

Even Keir Starmer would get my vote .. if he was in a 50/50 battle v Andy Burnham.

I didn’t say we could.

I was just pointing out that a general “we should spend less on welfare” is always a lot more popular than any specific policies that actually do that.

Starmer will find it hard to get someone to replace Healey. His premiership will be utterly strained.

@Fillies4DeclanRice - I know what you mean.

I think politicians have finally realised it is time to tell the truth. I suspect there will be massive fall out, but straight talking would be a good first starting point.

They have realised the real problem is that people have lost trust in the system full stop. And that they cannot keep treating the public like naught children and talking about the big bad wolf. When even a child knows the difference between lies and the truth.

Reform to the Welfare budget is coming, whether the Labour back benches would choose it, or not.

It’s inevitable - irrespective of who is in No.10.

The UK electorate will not be held hostage by a ragtag collection of student union MP’s.

To where?

Can you link where he’s said this @Fillies4DeclanRice because I’ve read his letter 3 times and can’t see it.

What he said is the Treasury has been unwilling to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats.

I keep saying cut everything - drop the triple lock, put CGT up a bit, freeze pay rises for public sector for ?2 years. Re test those getting disability benefit. Put immigrants in camps not hotels etc
if they pick on one group - most likely by taxing workers more that risks a riot

Sorry but imo they've left it too long to finally show some sensibility.

Just like the Conservatives have a few sensibles, the fuck ups during covid have rightly seen them become unelectable for the foreseeable.

The same ought to apply to Labour too.

???

It's literally all over the news.

To tackle welfare we need to tackle state pension. It’s over half the welfare budget (I think. Would need to check latest figures to see exact output). But that was a conversation we should have stared 40 years ago as it needs a long lead in. But better late than never.

I’d support a politician who had a plan for that.

Not the end of your OP where you say he says cut welfare, and also cut taxes.