Should John Healey resign after the Budget?

Should John Healey resign after the Budget? Have your say in our online poll on whether the Chancellor should resign after the Budget. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments POLL By Katie Harris , Senior Political Correspondent 07:35, Thu, Oct 29, 2026 Updated: 07:36, Thu, Oct 29, 2026 Chancellor John Healey delivered his first Budget (Image: Getty) John Healey is facing calls to resign after delivering his first Budget yesterday.

The Tories and Reform UK hit out at the Chancellor for failing to set out how he will reach 3% of economic output on defence by 2030. Mr Healey has pushed back the announcement until next year's spending review. His target of 3% by 2030 would fulfil a threshold he thought would be missed under Sir Keir Starmer ’s premiership, which sparked his dramatic resignation as Defence Secretary earlier this year. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Nigel Farage misses Budget after being involved in 'physical altercation' in Commons Get the latest politics news - straight from our team in Westminster and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family .

Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “He should have set out a plan for 3% today. So now he is the man who is increasing risk to personnel on operations; he is the man who is making our country less safe; he has failed his own test.

“This is on him, and no one will ever forget. If he had any decency, he would resign again today. “What he’s done is he’s given himself a bit of breathing space until next year. Instead, what we have is a plan to have a plan. I bet Putin’s really scared now.” Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Reform UK's Robert Jenrick added: “John Healey resigned as Defence Secretary and demanded 3% of GDP is spent on our armed forces by 2030. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT "He is now Chancellor and won't say how he will find the money.

He has failed his own test. He should resign again.” Have your say in our poll below and let us know more in the comments section Mr Healey has also faced criticism for failing to announce cuts to the eye-watering benefits bill. But he told GB News: “This was a broken system. And two years ago, we started putting face-to-face assessments back in place. We’ve changed terms of universal credit, so people don’t have to brand themselves as too sick to work.

“So, those are changes we’re making now. But in the long run, as I’ve argued, and the Prime Minister has said, too, we have to bring the cost of benefits down. “We will, but we have to do that, especially for our young people, in a way that gives them a chance to make something of themselves. And when we’ve got a million youngsters that aren’t working and aren’t in education or training, that’s a moral duty to do this, and we will.” John Healey Defence Budget 2026 Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments