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.

It might be on the news, but it’s not in his letter. So I repeat where has he said this?

Such as? Bring back the work houses?

I agree they need to have a backbone and bring down welfare spending. It's not popular - tough shit. Defense spending needs to come first.

This could be coupled nicely with the lack of decent jobs for our young people - but it will take money.

The trouble with the welfare bill is that’s every government for decades has known what’s coming but clung to the strategy of kicking the can down the road rather than actually tackle the issues.
The can has now been kicked so far, it’s sitting in the middle of the fast lane on the M25 and the whole lot of the politicians are simply waiting for it to be squashed flat. And doing absolutely nothing

No, means test it. Only give it to those who need it.

I'm 37, and I've long thought there won't be a state pension by the time I get there. At some point, someone has to change the system, and it's going to need a long lead-in time to make this kind of change.

The odd thing about defence spending is, what is the increase needed for? What country is the main threat? Well, it's Russia, of course. But we keep hearing about how Russia is economically weak, how Putin is failing and is on the way out, how he might have a terminal illness etc

Some of that stuff might be propaganda... but if Russia is the reason for our increased defence spending but they are going to capitulate in a year or so, then do we really need an increase in defence?

To pay for it we will be back to good old Tory austerity - whoopee. Have the elderly die off on a fast-track like last time.

In any event, when we feel the pinch, it will solely be down to Putin's machinations that we have to face cuts.

If some of us were prepared to pay VAT to any tradesmen rather than dodging it by paying cash, that might stump up the requisite monies.

Isn't the defence budget also for counter-terrorism?

We have waaaaay more than just Russia to worry about.

It's a grand, a month, that's all.

They're not giving him the funding he's requested because spending is being directed elsewhere.

The vast majority of the spending increases has gone to ... welfare.

I'd be far more worried about China, then Iran, than Russia.

We aren't preparing for a war in the near future. We are at war. We have been for 20 years, but our politicians are too weak and cowardly to admit the truth.

War isn't like it was in 1940, or even 1990. We don't declare war and send a few hundred thousand young chaps to duke it out on a muddy battlefield so much anymore.

why just young people?

warfare is an much based on engineering and IT skills these days as physical - lots of current retired folk could give back to their country with engineering, drone, IT skills..

You cannot remove it from people who have paid in for decades. Those who have yet to receive it and those who currently get it. And nor can you continue to up the age as all that does is keep some people in jobs.
Not without a long drawn out and expensive legal battle.
It is not the answer.

Those out of work and not disabled/ill have a duty to look for work or be sanctioned. A single adult with no dependants recieve up to £424 a month.

The illness/disability component of uc has already been reduced.

Slashing PIP has been forecast to cost more in the long run as it is an in work benefit which has the potential to shut the disabled out of the work place. Not to mention the hostile environment already in place.

Those receiving the most are those with children but removing UC from these families will also cause harm. And those parents who are always wheeled out, who 'spend all the money on fags and booze' are not suddenly going to become valuable members of the workforce because the two child cap is reintroduced.

The pp was right that it is pensions that cost the most. Along with with housing benefit to the private sector.

Simple answers don't exist. Education from early years, programs such as surestart would be a good start. And sorting out the housing crisis.

But more austerity which will hit the most vulnerable is unlikely to change much. I mean, even Ian Duncan Smith thought more cuts to welfare for the disabled was a step too far!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35848687

We need to invest in net zero and alternative sources of energy so that a) we are energy secure and not reliant on the ME and Russia, and b) to create the vast number of potential jobs in green construction, manufacturing, research and tech, the circular economy etc. To ignore this is short sighted.

Healey is wrong. He is old school and equates defence with weapons. Increasing military hardware is not a route to peace. The world is changing - and old allies are not the same. We need to sort out our competitiveness, our soft power/diplomacy, and our potential in the green sector. And close ties to Europe.

Healey for PM!

The SP is not the issue with the welfare budget (IMO). It is just £1k pm for people who (mostly) paid in all their long working lives. Just enough to keep their heads above water, very barely if you're single. People campaigning for it to be means tested will sorely regret that choice when they reach SPA. Triple lock could easily be changed to a double lock instead but wouldn't make any dent whatsoever so is pretty pointless.

The issue (IMO) is those who take plenty and choose to not put (much) in but could.

He has done the right thing by resigning. Defending the country is arguably the most fundamental thing required by a Government.
You cannot have peoples lives at risk by not doing it properly.

So I am a pensioner. I worked all my life. Part time when I had children, but full time the rest of my life. I have savings and I have paid off my mortgage. All through hard work.
If they means test, I would lose my measly pension of just over £850 per month. What would happen to my private pension that I also paid into?
I have a friend who took a lot of time off work, spent lots of money on holidays, cars and a Motorhome. They get more pension than me, plus Pension Credit and all the added perks that go with it. They live in a Council House and have most of their rent paid. They own a car and Motorhome worth almost £150,000 and spend months at at time out of the country. But don't have much money in the bank, so if pensions were means tested they would lose nothing!
This is what is wrong with this country. People who try and help themselves get nothing. People who hold their hands out get everything!

The only way we can become self sufficient in energy is via nuclear, which will still take years and is very expensive.

There is no chance we can do it in any other net zero way for at least another generation due to the costs involved / size of the project.

@zacsGranny why would anything happen to your private pension?

Define ‘need’. and would this need analysis also apply, say, to whether those receiving child allowance ‘need’ it? Sick of every conversation about efficiencies pitching groups against one another, and the constant eye towards pensioners

We have to start now and yes it would take 15-20 years to become fully self sufficient, BUT the UK has some of the best potential in Europe:

Strong offshore wind resources, particularly in the North Sea.
Significant onshore wind potential.
Growing solar capacity
Tidal and wave energy potential, though these technologies need developing
Large opportunities for energy efficiency and reducing demand.

As well as the economic benefit, the environmental wins are a no-brainer.

No thanks. Right-wing policies have left our public services in an appalling state, especially the NHS, Social Care and the Justice System. I'm sick of seeing multiple criminal cases collapse because after the three-year wait to get them to court, witnesses and evidence may no longer be available. The system stinks, especially for the victims.

So what would you suggest? Drop the triple lock and give pensioners a living wage equivalent perhaps?

I'm not sure - just asking as some people in here seem to have some pretty radical views. State Pension is not a benefit. I have paid N.I. all my working life to fund it, yet some are trying to take it away. Bad enough to tax it. Perhaps some people think that private pensions are fair game too.
All pensioners seem to be under attack these days.

So... he didn't say anything about welfare or tax?
But you said he did?
So confused. It's almost as if facts are less important than whipping up outrage.