John Healey

John Healey
Official portrait, 2024
Secretary of State for Defence
Assumed office
5 July 2024
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byGrant Shapps
Minister of State for Housing and Planning
In office
5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010
Prime MinisterGordon Brown
Preceded byMargaret Beckett
Succeeded byGrant Shapps
Junior ministerial offices
2007–2009Local Government
2005–2007Financial Secretary
2002–2005Economic Secretary
2001–2002Adult Skills
Shadow cabinet portfolios
2020–2024Defence
2015–2020Housing
2010–2011Health
2010–2010Housing
Member of Parliament
for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough
Wentworth and Dearne (2010–2024)
Wentworth (1997–2010)
Assumed office
1 May 1997
Preceded byPeter Hardy
Majority6,908 (20.4%)
Personal details
Born (1960-02-13) 13 February 1960 (age 64)
Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Political partyLabour
Spouse
Jackie Bate
(m. 1993)
Children1
EducationSt Peter's School, York
Alma materChrist's College, Cambridge (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website

John Healey (born 13 February 1960) is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Defence since July 2024. A member of the Labour Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough, previously Wentworth and Wentworth and Dearne, since 1997.

Healey served under Tony Blair as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Adult Skills from 2001 to 2002, as Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 2002 to 2005, Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 2005 to 2007, and under Gordon Brown as Minister of State for Local Government from 2007 to 2009 and as Minister of State for Housing and Planning from 2009 to 2010.

Following the 2010 general election, he was elected to the Shadow Cabinet and was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Health by Ed Miliband. He stood down from the role in October 2011 and was succeeded by Andy Burnham. He also served as Shadow Secretary of State for Housing from 2016 to 2020 under Jeremy Corbyn, and worked alongside Andrew Gwynne, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.