Labour veteran John Healey has delivered his first budget speech as Chancellor of the Exchequer, declaring it a "budget for the working people of Britain." Healey, who studied at Cambridge, began his career as a disability rights campaigner and trade union official before entering Parliament in 1997. He previously served in the Treasury under Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He later held the position of Shadow Defence Secretary and led Britain's response to the war in Ukraine and rising international instability.
Healey surprised many earlier this year by resigning from his defence brief, citing the government's failure to "commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats." On July 20, 2026, he was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, marking a new phase in his political career.
Friends and colleagues describe Healey as loyal to the Labour Party and rooted in his Yorkshire origins, with a notable passion for HP sauce. The profile was produced by Stephen Smith, with production support from Tom Gillett, Maria Ogundele, Neil Churchill, and Justine Lang. Archival audio was sourced from Dolly Parton and ITVX Sky News.