John Healey resigned as defence secretary over the long-delayed spending plan, which was due to be published last year.
| Updated: 2h ago
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Sir Keir Starmer has told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that he would publish the government’s defence investment plan before next month’s summit, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
The Prime Minister spoke to the Nato chief on the phone earlier on Saturday and they agreed on the importance of strengthening the alliance’s defensive capabilities.
The call came two days after John Healey resigned as defence secretary over the spending plans, accusing Keir Starmer of being “unable” to commit enough resources “to defend the country at this time of rising threats.”
In the phone call, Keir Starmer “updated on plans for the defence investment plan, underlining his commitment to publish it ahead of the Nato summit in Ankara,” said Downing Street.
“The NATO Secretary General welcomed the UK’s increased investment in defence as an important contribution to the alliance and to meeting the threats we face,” he said.
Read more: Continuing with this defence plan would be a dangerous mistake
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In his resignation letter, John Healey said the defence investment plan fell “well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time” and that Starmer was well aware of “what defence needs”.
The week before his former defence secretary’s resignation, the prime minister said: “this is a more dangerous and volatile world than at any point and in my lifetime” and that keeping the country safe is “the first duty of a prime minister.”
He also warned that Russia could invade a NATO country within the next four years.
A government source said that “the defence investment plan will deliver the capability our armed forces need.”
They added: “We will always do what is right, and needed, to keep the country safe.”
The NATO summit is due to take place on July 7-8. The defence investment plan was due last year.