Burnham appoints ex-defence secretary John Healey as UK finance minister

Burnham appoints ex-defence secretary John Healey as UK finance minister Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed John Healey to replace Rachel Reeves as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Downing Street announced on Monday. Healey served as defence secretary under Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, and resigned in June over a military spending row, saying that the prime minister was unable to commit to a high enough defence budget. Britain's former Defence secretary John Healey leaves 11 Downing Street in London 20 July 2026 (Peter Nicholls/AFP)