Al Carns rejects ministerial role over unresolved defence funding row

Al Carns, the former defence minister who quit alongside John Healey last month over a row about military funding, has turned down an offer to return to government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Carns said he declined the role because he remains concerned that the defence funding on the table is inadequate for the threats Britain faces. “I resigned in June because I did not believe the defence funding on the table was adequate for the threats this country faces. I said so publicly and I still stand by every word,” Carns wrote on social media. “I’ve always said I would serve where I am asked. In normal circumstances, that is exactly what I would do, but the argument I resigned over has not yet been settled.” He explained that accepting the ministerial offer from Chief Whip Anneliese Midgley would signal his fight for higher military spending was over, when he intends to keep making the case from the back benches. Carns’ resignation last month followed that of former defence secretary John Healey, who quit former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government over what both men said was insufficient planned military funding. Sir Keir replaced Healey with Dan Jarvis and increased funding for the long-delayed defence investment plan by a little, but left a £4.7bn funding gap. Carns and Pamela Nash, Healey’s parliamentary assistant, resigned despite Healey asking other defence ministers to stay. The resignations came a week before the Makerfield by-election. Now Healey is chancellor, and Carns said that appointment had moved the debate in the right direction. “John resigned for the same reasons I did,” Carns said. “He is a man of his word and he has made it clear that he will deliver on the commitments that led him to leave government in the first place. The Prime Minister knows exactly what John stands for and that appointment is meaningful and I welcome it.” New Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said he wants to ensure “every penny is spent wisely” and that investment in the armed forces must come with “modernisation”. Burnham has said he wants to honour the UK’s commitments, including meeting Nato’s core defence spending target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035. Conservative shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge questioned whether Burnham will increase spending to 3% in the current Parliament, which runs until 2029. Back in June, Healey’s resignation – from one of Sir Keir’s most loyal cabinet allies – ended up being the final nail in the coffin for the former prime minister’s premiership. Carns’ decision to decline a role suggests the defence funding battle is far from over.