The Tories are giving it both barrels to John Healey over his decision to shift the goalposts on the government’s defence spending target. Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said today:
“With Russia ramping up its threats every day, the world has only got more dangerous since John Healey resigned two months ago, saying Labour’s current plan for 2.7 per cent on Defence would leave Britain ‘less safe’.
He urged Starmer to go to 3 per cent by 2030. Given he is now the Chancellor, it is extraordinary that he is backtracking on the very pledge which sealed the fate of the last PM and opened the door of Number 10 to Andy Burnham.
For over a year we have urged the government to go to 3 per cent by 2030, and Kemi repeatedly offered to work with Starmer to deliver it. He refused and paid the price – Burnham needs to do what Starmer could not and make the difficult decisions to fund 3 per cent.
Russia doesn’t work to Treasury timetables, and we can’t wait for a spending review to keep Britain safe.”
Robert Jenrick also laid into Healey’s claims that Burnham’s premiership is “continuity” Labour. Silly season is almost over. Healey is about to discover being Chancellor entails more than just ranking pub grub on TikTok…
Lee Anderson, speaking to The Sun’s Tom Scotson, reveals the wokest thing he’s ever done: “I once had a vegetarian thought, about becoming a vegetarian. That was quickly dismissed when I had a bacon sandwich…”