Personnel looking for leadership in wake of Healey resignation, veterans' leader warns
Service personnel are looking for leadership from the Government in the wake of Defence Secretary John Healey's resignation, a leading campaigner for veterans has said.
Mr Healey resigned over funding plans for the UK's defence, which he warned would reduce the readiness of the Armed Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations.
Responding to that news, Jonny Ball, co-founder of the Afghanistan Veterans' Community charity, said anybody who had worked with Mr Healey would not be surprised by his actions in response to the Government's funding plans.
Reassurance needed
"I think service personnel are looking for leadership in times like this," Mr Ball told BFBS Forces News.
"People believed that John Healey cared passionately about defence while in post and when they met the man, and that's been reiterated by the decision he's made today.
"The service community will look for a quick response from the Government and reassurance."
Support from across the political divide
Mr Ball's remarks about Mr Healey's character were echoed by Sarah Atherton, a former Member of Parliament and Army veteran.
Ms Atherton told BFBS Forces News that she had always held respect for Mr Healey, even though they were on opposing sides politically.
"Whether you agreed with him or not, he struck me as a decent, principled and honourable man who genuinely cared about defence and the people who serve," she said.
Ms Atherton added that she was deeply worried about Mr Healey's resignation and what it meant for military spending plans, which are due to be announced in the Government's Defence Investment Plan (DIP).
"The reality is that this Government talks a good game on defence, but when it comes to funding and priorities, the Armed Forces always seem to come second," she said.
"If that continues, it won't be ministers who pay the price – it will be our servicemen and women, and ultimately the British public."
DIP delayed
The DIP, which has been repeatedly delayed, forms part of the Government's Strategic Defence Review, which was published more than a year ago.
In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Healey said that the cross-Government work to draft the DIP had been completed in January.
"Since then," he wrote, "you have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats."
A new defence secretary is expected to be announced in the coming hours.
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