British ‌defence minister John Healey quit on Thursday in ‌a dispute over military spending, accusing prime minister ​Keir Starmer of failing to commit the government resources that are needed to defend the ​country.

Britain’s’s defence and finance ministries have ⁠been locked in talks for months over ‌how ‌to ​meet rising demands to expand military spending, delaying Britain’s planned defence investment plan since last year.

“You ​have been unable, and the ‌Treasury has been unwilling, to ​commit the resources that the ⁠nation needs to ⁠defend ​the country at this time of rising threats,” Healey said in his letter to Starmer.

“Your DIP [defence investment plan] financial settlement — which I was first given in full on Monday afternoon this week — falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time,” he wrote.

The delay has infuriated Britain’s defence industry which says it cannot invest ‌in long-term ⁠programmes for the country’s security at a time of huge geopolitical ‌volatility and as the United States pivots ​away from protecting Europe.

- This is a developing story