2026年6月11日 美国东部时间12:49:06 / 哥伦比亚广播公司新闻
作者：埃琳娜·朱利亚诺
英国国防大臣约翰·希利于周四辞职，理由是在国际安全挑战日益严峻的背景下，英国武装部队的计划拨款存在缺口。
在写给首相基尔·斯塔默的辞职信中，希利写道，工党政府上台时“认识到英国面临新的威胁时代，需要打造新的国防时代”，但政府未能提供应对这些挑战所需的资源。
他表示，自己“周一首次完整收到”的政府国防计划“远远达不到当前危险时期国防和国家发展所需的标准”。
希利的突然离职此前引发了数月来围绕政府《国防投资计划》（DIP）的争议。希利称，该计划曾经过广泛讨论，各方都认识到国内外安全威胁带来的“挑战规模”。
去年2月，斯塔默曾暗示政府的目标是在几年内将国防开支提升至GDP的3%。数月后，北约成员国领导人达成共识，目标是到2035年将国防开支占GDP的比例提升至3.5%。斯塔默将于7月在安卡拉与北约盟友会面，讨论国防承诺事宜。
2026年6月9日，约翰·希利离开英国伦敦唐宁街10号。维克托·希马诺维奇/Future Publishing via Getty Images
“你清楚国防所需的资源，”希利在信中对斯塔默写道，“你今年2月在慕尼黑安全会议的演讲中曾强有力地论证过这一点。如果没有符合当下形势的国防投资计划，我将被迫做出削弱部队战备状态、增加行动人员风险的决定，甚至可能让国家变得更不安全。”
“在向你表明我无法接受无法为部队提供所需资源的国防投资计划方案后，我别无选择，只能辞去国防大臣一职，”他补充道。
希利的批评正值英国在北约及其他西方安全任务中扮演愈发突出的角色之际。他在信中指出，一系列承诺正在拉伸军事资源，包括英国共同领导多国霍尔木兹海峡任务的中东冲突，以及英国如今主导北约北极警戒行动的北极地区日益严峻的安全担忧。
他还强调了俄罗斯针对英国及其盟友的日益频繁的活动，以及莫斯科对乌克兰的不断升级的袭击。在乌克兰问题巴黎协定达成后，这些担忧进一步加剧，根据该协定，未来停火后英国将向乌克兰部署军事力量。
此次离职是斯塔默政府面临的最新挑战，此时首相正处于尤为艰难的时期。反对党迅速对此辞职做出回应，大多附和希利对政府国防政策的批评。
“这是一个陷入混乱的政府，无法执政，毫无领导力，这位看守首相预计几周内就会被替换，”绿党领袖扎克·波兰斯基说道。
反对党领袖凯米·巴登乔表示，她“很高兴”这位前国防大臣“认同”她对政府施政的评价，并称根据希利的辞职信，当前的开支计划可能让英国军队陷入风险，这“令人震惊”。
自重新上台以来，美国总统特朗普多次批评北约成员国未能为北约集体防务做出足够贡献，并再次威胁退出北约。
英国已公开承诺加强北约的威慑态势，并扩大其在欧洲安全事务中的角色。希利的离职表明，兑现这些承诺在政治和财政层面可能比预期更为困难。
U.K. defense chief John Healey resigns, says government’s military funding plan “falls well short”
2026-06-11 12:49:06 EDT / CBS News
By Elena Giuliano
U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey resigned on Thursday, citing a shortfall in planned funding for Britain’s armed forces at a time of mounting international security challenges.
In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Healey wrote that the Labour government entered office “recognizing Britain faced a new era of threat which demanded a new era for defense,” but that the government had failed to deliver the resources needed to meet those challenges.
He said the government’s plan for defense, which he was “first given in full” on Monday, “falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time.”
Healey’s surprise departure follows months of disputes over the government’s Defense Investment Plan, or DIP. Healey said the plan had been the subject of extensive discussions recognizing the “scale of the challenge” posed by both national and international security threats.
In February last year, Starmer suggested that the government’s ambition was to raise defense spending to 3% of GDP within a couple of years. Months later, NATO leaders agreed on a target of spending 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035. Starmer is set to meet with NATO counterparts in Ankara in July to discuss defense commitments.
John Healey leaves 10 Downing Street in London, England on June 09, 2026. Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images
“You know what defence needs,” Healy wrote in his letter, addressing Starmer. “You made the argument for this powerfully in your speech at the Munich Security Conference back in February. Without a DIP that meets the moment in this way, I am being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations, and could make the country less safe.”
“After explaining to you that I would not be able to accept a DIP settlement that does not give our Forces the resources they need, I am now left with no other option than to submit my resignation as your Defence Secretary,” he added.
Healey’s criticism comes as Britain takes on an increasingly prominent role within NATO and other Western security missions. In his letter, he pointed to a range of commitments stretching military resources, including conflict in the Middle East, where the U.K. is co-leading a multinational Strait of Hormuz mission, and growing security concerns in the Arctic, where Britain now leads NATO’s Arctic Sentry operation.
He also highlighted increased Russian activity directed at the U.K. and its allies, as well as Moscow’s escalating attacks on Ukraine. Those concerns have intensified following the Paris Agreement on Ukraine, which sees a British military deployment after any future ceasefire.
His departure is the latest challenge for Starmer’s government and comes at a particularly difficult time for the prime minister. Opposition parties reacted swiftly to the resignation, largely echoing Healey’s criticism of the government’s defense policy.
“This is a government in chaos, unable to govern, with no leadership, under a caretaker Prime Minister who’s expected to be replaced within weeks,” said Green Party leader Zack Polanski.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch said she was “glad” that the former Defence Secretary “agrees” with her assessment of the government’s approach, calling it “shocking” that, according to Healey’s letter, the current spending plan could leave British troops at risk.
Since returning to office, President Trump has repeatedly criticised NATO members for failing to contribute enough to the alliance’s collective defense and has renewed threats to withdraw from the alliance.
Britain has publicly committed itself to strengthening NATO’s deterrence posture and expanding its role in European security. Healey’s departure suggests that delivering on those promises may prove more politically and financially difficult than anticipated.
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