World Jul 21, 2026 · 1 min read

Fiscal hawk or big spender – what kind of chancellor will John Healey be?

The diligent, popular, unexpected pick for the Treasury has been given a straitjacket – and the job of funding the PM’s policy promisesUK politics live – latest updatesOn the frequent occasions that John Healey would travel abroad as defence secretary, he was so determined to keep working he would g...

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The Guardian
by Kiran Stacey Policy editor
Fiscal hawk or big spender – what kind of chancellor will John Healey be?

The diligent, popular, unexpected pick for the Treasury has been given a straitjacket – and the job of funding the PM’s policy promises

On the frequent occasions that John Healey would travel abroad as defence secretary, he was so determined to keep working he would get the crew to tether a desk to the inside of his military aircraft so he could read his papers.

His diligence is one reason why Andy Burnham, the new prime minister, made Healey his unexpected pick for chancellor on Monday. Allies say others include their shared commitment to re-industrialisation and devolution.

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This article was originally published by The Guardian and written by Kiran Stacey Policy editor.

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