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The chief of the defence staff has issued a stark warning that the UK’s armed forces will be forced to scale back training and operational activities unless additional funding beyond the current proposals is secured. Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton highlighted that the government’s Defence Investment Plan (DIP) lacks sufficient resources to cover essential “day-to-day activities” in the near term, putting readiness at risk.
John Healey, who resigned as defence secretary just last week, expressed serious concerns over the funding package on offer. He argued that the proposed budget settlement would “reduce the readiness of our Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations.” During his resignation statement in the House of Commons, Healey emphasized that his decision was motivated by safeguarding the future of Britain’s military and international alliances. He insisted, “My decision last week was about our country, not career,” and criticized Chancellor Rachel Reeves for being “unwilling” to provide the necessary financial support, pointing out that “our adversaries do not follow timetables set by the Treasury.”
The government plans to raise defence spending to 3.5% of national income by 2035, aligning with Nato allies, though the release of the Defence Investment Plan has been postponed amid the turmoil following Healey’s departure. Reports indicate that while Downing Street and the Treasury are prepared to allocate roughly £10 billion in additional funding over the next four years, this falls well short—by approximately £18 billion—of what military leaders have requested. The newly appointed defence secretary, Dan Jarvis, is currently assessing how best to allocate the available funds, though there is no indication yet that extra resources will be forthcoming.
In his testimony before the Lords International Relations and Defence Committee, Sir Richard Knighton supported Healey’s concerns, particularly focusing on the department’s “resource departmental expenditure limit,” which finances operational tasks, exercises, and training. He warned that without adjustments to the spending plan, vital areas that maintain the armed forces’ readiness would face significant pressure. Sir Richard stressed that the funding review remains ongoing but cautioned, “We will have to dial back our activities and our exercise and operational activity if the level of resource funding that’s available to us does not increase.” Meanwhile, the Prime Minister defended the government’s approach, noting a rise in the defence budget from 2.3% to 2.6% of GDP and highlighting reallocations from other departments to support defence capabilities. The Prime Minister also emphasized ongoing discussions with the new defence secretary regarding spending priorities to ensure future capability needs are met
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