Defence Secretary John Healey’s Speech at Labour Party Conference 2025

Conference, it is an honour to speak in this international debate.

A debate dominated by the agonies of the Palestinians in Gaza. A debate in which we redouble our determination to work for the end of the Israeli offensive, the release of all the hostages, the flood of aid that is so badly needed and the two-state solution which is the only hope of a lasting peace.
Conference, I’m proud to address you again as your Labour’s Defence Secretary. Proud that after 12 months of change, we have given our Armed Forces the biggest pay increase in two decades. We have brought 36,000 military homes back into public ownership.
We’ve announced record levels of support for veterans, won a £10bn warship deal with Norway, securing 4,000 well-paid union jobs for the next 15 years and made the biggest increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.
This is Labour – Delivering for Defence, delivering for Britain.
Three weeks ago, I was in Kyiv. I saw homes bombed and buildings destroyed. I met Ukrainian troops and drone factory workers – they’re defiant, they’re determined. Fighting back Putin’s brutal invasion.
Their freedom is our freedom, and a secure Europe needs a strong, sovereign Ukraine.
That is why we’ve stepped up UK leadership on Ukraine providing the highest-ever level of UK military aid this year, providing the highest-ever level of UK military aid this year and leading over 30 nations in the Coalition of the Willing – ready to provide the security guarantees for when peace comes.
1,313 days into this war, I’m proud that Labour – proud that Britain – remains united for Ukraine.
And Conference, our message to Moscow from Liverpool today is this:
President Putin, you will not win. Stop the killing, start the talks, agree a peace. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Conference, we are now living in a new era of threat, which demands a new era for defence. That is why we’re making this historic increase in defence spending.
With this Labour investment, we’re making Britain more secure and we’re making defence an engine for growth – with a “defence dividend” measured in good jobs right across the United Kingdom.
Defence proves that we are still, at heart, a nation of makers.
Warships, we make them in Glasgow. Submarines, we make them in Barrow. Armoured vehicles, we make them in South Wales. In Sheffield, artillery barrels. In Swindon, advanced drones. In Plymouth, AI systems and, of course, those frigates for Norway – we start them across the Mersey here in Liverpool.
Conference, with Labour’s defence spending I want to make Britain the best place in the world to invest and grow a defence business.
We will make more in Britain. We will back British industry, back British innovation and back British jobs.
This is Labour. Delivering for Defence and delivering for Britain.
But conference, you know who won’t back defence jobs? The Scottish nationalists. They refused to fund a new advanced welding centre in Glasgow.
So, I can announce today that the Labour Government will step in with the funding needed. They won’t. We will.
And what of the other parties? Are they better on defence?
The Tories – they left our Armed Forces “hollowed out and underfunded.”
The Lib Dems – they cut the British Army to the smallest size since Napoleon. Reform – they praise Putin and they put down NATO.
Conference, we are the party that created NATO in that great Atlee government after the war. Now, we are the Party growing jobs and growing the Army. The Party facing down Russia and strengthening NATO.
Conference, Labour is again the party of Britain’s defence.
As Defence Secretary, I get to work with some of the most outstanding people day in, day out and if you ever need reasons to feel proud about Britain – then look at those who serve this country to defend us all.
Our soldiers on NATO’s frontline with Russia. Our pilots dropping aid into Gaza. Our submariners patrolling the seas for weeks on end. Our sailors on the carrier reassuring allies in the Indo Pacific.
I say to them, we can’t fix 14 years of Tory failure overnight, but Labour will match your dedication with our determination to support you, and to improve service life. That starts with better homes.
A few weeks into Government, I visited a military base. I saw the result of years of Tory neglect – damp, mould, pests. One house had a hole in a children’s bedroom wall.
That’s why we’ve pledged an extra £1.5bn for military homes in this Parliament and launched a new ‘Consumer Charter’ to drive higher housing standards.
And today we go further, we launch a new ‘Forces First’ approach to housing.
We’ll offer those in our Forces priority access to new homes built on surplus MOD land, making homeownership a reality for more Forces personnel and veterans. Better homes, better pay, better lives.
Conference, this is Labour. Delivering for Defence. Delivering for Britain. This is Labour. Just one year into Government.
Much done, but so much more to do. This is Labour. Making this country secure at home, and strong abroad. Renewing our country for good. Thank you.