Healey to link defence procurement with reindustrialisation

John Healey is expected to use his first Labour conference address as finance minister on Monday to link defence procurement and shipyard investment with the government’s reindustrialisation agenda. The plan includes procuring three floating submarine docks at HM Naval Base Clyde through a competition restricted to UK bidders, though the reports describe an expected announcement, not a completed procurement. Healey is expected to argue that backing British shipyards can support national security while strengthening industrial resilience and capabilities. The proposed docks are intended for the submarine base in Scotland. The Ministry of Defence has previously said they are expected to enter service in the early 2030s, and the project forms part of a wider Royal Navy shipyard upgrade programme, according to one account. The speech is intended to develop Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s pledge to reindustrialise Britain, with defence presented as one route to economic growth. Healey, a former defence minister who left that role amid disagreement over military funding, is expected to emphasize the role of British firms in major defence projects.