UK's finance minister Healey walks fiscal tightrope before first budget

John Healey — a former trade unionist known for clear, decisive communication — is now Britain’s finance minister.
His debut budget on Oct. 28 will be a defining test: funding priorities like housing, social care and defence while keeping bond markets calm (tax rises are possible).
Healey famously quit as defence minister over funding shortfalls and wants defence at 3% of GDP by 2030, but the timing and trade-offs remain unclear.