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The armed forces minister, Al Carns, has resigned, joining former Defence Secretary John Healey in stepping down from the government due to disagreements with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over military funding. Carns announced his departure on Thursday evening, expressing in his resignation letter that the government’s defence investment plan (DIP) was “neither transformative enough nor sufficiently funded.” This followed Healey’s earlier resignation, in which he criticized the proposed military spending as inadequate to safeguard the nation.
Following these resignations, Dan Jarvis, the security minister and ex-British Army officer, was appointed as the new defence secretary. Sir Keir Starmer has yet to publicly address Carns’ resignation. In response to Healey’s departure, the prime minister defended the government’s defence funding record, stating he was “proud of our record on funding” and insisting the defence funding plan “will provide the resources our military needs to keep us safe.”
Carns had initially indicated a willingness to await the finalisation of the DIP before deciding on his position. However, after candid interviews with Sky News and the BBC, he posted his resignation letter on X, declaring he could no longer defend what he considered an insufficient level of investment. Labour MP Pamela Nash also resigned from her role as Healey’s parliamentary assistant at the Ministry of Defence, citing public trust concerns related to delays and challenges in securing necessary defence funding.
These departures have caused significant disruption within the government, further weakening Sir Keir’s leadership at a critical time. Healey’s resignation in particular marks a major setback, as he had been one of the prime minister’s most loyal allies. The turmoil arrives just a week before a crucial by-election, where Labour candidate Andy Burnham seeks to secure a parliamentary seat to potentially challenge Sir Keir for leadership of the party. Despite recent pressure over poor election outcomes, Sir Keir has affirmed his intention to contest any Labour leadership contest.
Jarvis now faces the substantial responsibility of finalising the DIP, which Healey warned in his resignation could currently “make the country less safe.” Sir Keir emphasized that the government will equip the armed forces with the necessary capabilities to defend the nation. Last year’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) set a course focused on “warfighting readiness,” including significant investments in ammunition, advanced aircraft, drones, and submarines. The DIP is intended to detail the funding arrangements for these commitments, but internal disputes have delayed its release well beyond the original autumn deadline.
With an upcoming NATO summit in Turkey serving as a public deadline, the pressure to finalize the DIP is mounting. Reports indicate the government is poised to announce a £13.5 billion increase in defence spending over the next four years, which falls short of the £28 billion requested by the Ministry of Defence. Healey expressed concern over the backloaded nature of the financial settlement, which does not align with the urgent operational demands in the near term. He criticized both the Prime Minister and the Treasury for being unable or unwilling to allocate necessary resources amid rising threats.
In contrast, Sir Keir maintained that the DIP funding will be sustainable and balanced, involving “significant reallocations of funding from across government departments.” He warned against borrowing irresponsibly, stressing that such decisions are difficult but essential. The government has pledged to devote 3.5% of GDP to defence by 2035, although the specifics of financing this goal remain unclear. Sir Keir has indicated plans to fund defence by cutting spending in other areas, with unconfirmed reports suggesting a 1% reduction in capital budgets across government departments to generate £6 billion for defence needs
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