Former defence minister Al Carns has rejected a ministerial offer from Prime Minister Andy Burnham, insisting the argument over military funding that prompted his resignation last month has still not been resolved.
Carns quit Sir Keir Starmer's government in June alongside then-defence secretary John Healey, after both concluded the planned defence budget was inadequate. Sir Keir responded by appointing Dan Jarvis to replace Healey and modestly increasing the long-delayed defence investment plan (Dip), but left a £4.7bn funding gap.
“Al Carns rejects ministerial offer from Andy Burnham, still unhappy with defence funding.”
Now, Carns says he was offered a role by chief whip Anneliese Midgely but declined. Posting on social media, he explained: "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. 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."
Carns acknowledged that accepting the post would have signalled his fight was over, when he intends to keep pressing for higher spending from the back benches. However, he welcomed the appointment of his former boss, John Healey, as chancellor, calling it "meaningful". "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," Carns said.
The decision to install Healey in No11 shocked Westminster, according to the Daily Mail, and left Ed Miliband "furious and let down", New Labour ally Ed Balls said.
New Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said he wanted to ensure "every penny is spent wisely" and that investment must come with "modernisation". Burnham has pledged to meet Nato's core defence spending target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035. But Conservative shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge questioned whether the prime minister would increase spending to 3% in the current parliament, which runs until 2029.
Healey's resignation, as one of Sir Keir's most loyal cabinet allies, proved the final blow for the former prime minister. Healey had urged other defence ministers to stay, but Carns and Pamela Nash quit anyway, one week before the Makerfield by-election.