Rotherham's John Healey joins elite Westminster club so what's the difference?
Raised eyebrows at another Healey joins one of Parliament’s smallest clubs
Westminster has seen this before.
Another Labour Defence Secretary has crossed the road to No. 11 – although this one arrived with less famous eyebrows...
With his appointment as Chancellor, Rotherham's John Healey has joined one of Westminster's smallest clubs. In fact, only one other Labour politician has made the journey from Defence Secretary to the Treasury – the unforgettable Denis Healey.
To younger readers, Denis was a formidable politician who served as Defence Secretary from 1964 to 1970 before becoming Chancellor between 1974 and 1979.
To everyone else, he was the chap with the bushy eyebrows.
The facial furniture became so famous they were caricatured almost daily by newspaper cartoonists and were probably recognised by more voters than half the Cabinet.
Healey guided Britain through one of its most turbulent economic periods, including the 1976 IMF crisis, while earning a reputation for a wicked sense of humour and a devastating one-liner.
Half a century later, another Healey arrived at No. 11 last week by the same route.
John, 66, became Chancellor on July 20 after serving as Defence Secretary since July 5, 2024.
Unlike his famous predecessor, he won't need directions around the Treasury. Long before taking charge of Britain's finances, he served there as Economic Secretary (2002–05) and Financial Secretary (2005–07) under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
The two Healeys share more than a surname. Both built reputations as dependable Cabinet ministers before being handed one of the toughest jobs in government.
The main obvious difference?
Denis Healey's eyebrows usually entered the room a fraction of a second before the rest of him...