This is Northumberland Calling 12.6.26
The principled resignation are as rare as hen teeth edition
Hello America (especially Central Ohio), this is Northumberland calling.
Yesterday 3 British Defence Ministers resigned on point of principle. John Healey the Secretary for Defence, Al Carns the Armed Forces Minister and Pamela Nash, a Defence PPS. It is over the refusal of Rachel Reeves and the Treasury to fund Defence properly. She would rather waste money on digital ID, net zero and giving benefits to people who have no legal right to be in this country than ensure national security. A war is coming, probably by 2030 with Russia and Britain can’t fulfil its current commitments. One could say what can you expect when the Attorney General was one of the main reasons that veterans were hounded and Starmer refuses to get rid of him. It is the first time since Lord Carrington resigned in 1982 over the Armed forces ‘ failure to spot the signs of the Falkland invasion build up that a minister has resigned on principle. https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/06/john-healeys-resignation-highlights-profound-strategic-failure-uk-governments-approach
This is John Healey’s letter of resignation:
This is Al Carns’s:
This Al Carns on why he never quit anything until now:
Starmer should sack Reeves, Hermer and Ed Miliband (Miliband refused to budge on his net zero plans even though they are endangering British security) but won’t. Starmer has appointed arch Starmer loyalist but ex-Para regiment Dan Jarvis.
Matt’s cartoon of two soldiers in a fox hole with a battle ranging and one saying My brother served in Keir Starmer’s government and he’s never spoken of the horrors he witnessed.
The reason why the UK needs to get serious about defence is clear if you read the latest update from the Institute for the Study of War. Russia is busy building and reinforcing its bases along the northern border with NATO. It has been reported that Russia has been mapping the undersea cables which connect Britain to the rest of the world. Most of the British navy is currently in dry dock because the Treasury refuses to pay for the necessary repairs. https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-11-2026/
It is worth reading the FSU report on policing which was compiled before Nowak became common knowledge. https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:3551bbe0-2109-4404-8d17-458cc32aa5ad?mc_cid=0ffee2a923&mc_eid=cded833dfe&viewer%21megaVerb=group-discover
This is their podcast on the subject which explains why the ideological capture of the police is so bad for the general public:
I will also point out that the 2021 Sewell report laid bare the fact that out 24 out of 25 knife related homicides of 16 -24 year old males in 2018/2019 were black. Deprioritizing a crime of violence which predominantly affects the black population and concentrating on ‘racial incidents’ which are purported to have one white participant (the alleged aggressor) is racist to my mind. Crimes of violence particularly stabbings should always take precedence over allegations of racism. Questions need to be asked of the police call handler of why the first call was ignored.
Much the same can be said for the way Nottingham (and supposedly others) decide the stats were more important than actual psychosis in the case of the Nottingham killer. Black men are apparently overrepresented in secure psych wards and they wanted to rebalance the stats, despite the presentations. The report is due out next year and is widely expected to be damning. It will be interesting to see if something similar was in play in Belfast as apparently 90% of violent mentally ill killers are known to the NHS prior to their killing sprees. I contend that trying to behead someone as well as stabbing their eyes out is the work of someone who is mentally ill. Whether or not he is fit to plead is a question for the courts.
This is a copy of Kemi Badenoch’s full speech on why there must be a return to the concept of Equality under the Law from earlier this week. https://www.conservatives.com/news/kemi-delivers-speech-on-equality-under-the-law
Northern Ireland appears to have quietened after the attempted beheading and the anti-migration riots earlier this week. The incident laid bare the extent to which the Common Travel Area has been used as a backdoor into claiming asylum in Britain and how the Irish helped them along. It is a real mess as the freedom of travel between Ireland and Northern Ireland is the foundation of the Good Friday agreement. I suspect Westminster and Dublin will have to reach an agreement about how they jointly deal with asylum seekers who arrive on the island of Ireland, simply telling them to get on a bus to go to the other country is a recipe for disaster. I do think some of the academic’s remarks at the end of the piece are wishful thinking. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/11/migration-belfast-northern-ireland-racism-riots-asylum/ or https://archive.ph/NKxde
The NHS has finished its investigation into the GP led trans clinic in Brighton and has concluded there was much medical malpractice. The record keeping was dreadful and safety non-existent. Wholly inadequate care with none of clinicians being competent. I feel sorry for the lives ruined. The highly vulnerable children deserved better. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/94b4efd9323241a9
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c932y3q09qro is the BBC’s take. Even the BBC could not hide the malpractice which has happened.
This is a good article on the current collapse in revenue for Pride and the implications. If you want a timeline and the background detail, it is well worth a read. https://labourheartlands.com/pride-and-fall/
Here:
We have been watching the latest Jeremy Clarkson series which is good entertainment with a serious purpose. I was pleased to recognise the maker of the guinea fowl house –Flyte O Fancy who produce British made poultry houses. Our hen run was made by them. They make quality kit. Much of what you can get is made cheaply in China and doesn’t last long so it is worth getting a good supplier.
I see JD Vance has installed a very fancy hen house at the VP’s residence (not a taxpayers’ expense I might add). They decided to go for 12 chicks rather than Point of Lay. I personally prefer Point of Lay as you get the eggs quicker and they are not as much faff. PoL means the hens are ready to produce eggs within the first few weeks. You can tell when they are ready are their combs grow and go bright red. Fresh eggs are wonderful btw. https://www.newser.com/story/390651/vance-adds-chicken-coop-to-vps-residence.html
The bees are doing well and expanding now that the weather is better. It looks like it will be a good fruit year.
Paddy has been hunting various small mammals but hasn’t added anything to his tally.
My writing continues to make slow progress. I am looking at November for releasing this on the world.
I have no plans to put a paywall on. If you want to buy one of my books to reward me, fabulous. I believe they are good escapist reads, historical romance set in a wide variety of eras such as Rome, Viking and Regency. ‘Simply enchanting’ according to Romance Readers’ Reviews about A Christmas Wedding Wager. ‘Everybody loves Styles’ Vikings’ said the Romantic Times.
Please subscribe if you like what I write. I look forward to seeing you in the comments.
Sounds like things are coming to a head in the UK one way or another. Interesting times indeed.
Hello Northumberland! Good to see You, once again, on this fine Friday. Friday's are great, largely due to Your articles.
But I'm sorry to hear about the UK's defense position. Sir Richard Barron's article says it all. The ISW article was interesting also.
The FSU report on Henry Nowak's murder was interesting, too.
Kemi's speech was great. Equality under the law. Hard to be against it, but some are.
I'm sorry to read about how changed Belfast has become.
WellBN was horrific. Amazing even the BBC sees that.
I'm sorry to read about the betrayal of LGBs.
It's also interesting to hear about Your hens. And I'm glad to hear the bees and fruit are doing well. Paddy looks great, but blurry. And I'm looking forward to Your new book around November.
TY, Michelle. Always appreciate You and Your work.