Former defence minister Al Carns has turned down an offer to serve in Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government, insisting the fight for higher military spending is far from over.
Carns, who resigned from Sir Keir Starmer's government last month alongside then-defence secretary John Healey, said the defence funding on offer was still inadequate. On social media, he wrote: "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." He explained that accepting the role would signal his campaign was over, when he intends to keep pressing from the back benches.
“Al Carns turns down ministerial offer in Burnham's government, citing unresolved defence funding concerns.”
His decision underscores a deepening rift within Labour over military spending. Healey, now chancellor after quitting Starmer over the same issue, faces the task of finding extra money for a defence investment plan that has a £4.7bn funding gap over the next five years, on top of £10.3bn in savings required across Whitehall. Carns said: "John resigned for the same reasons I did. 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."
Meanwhile, new Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has vowed to quit if Burnham fails to fully fund the defence plan. Calling it a "matter of principle", Streeting insisted the plan "will be fully funded", with Healey expected to set out specifics at future fiscal events. But Burnham has refused to commit to lifting spending to 3% of GDP, saying his "first challenge" is funding the plan ahead of the Budget. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates reaching 3% by the end of the decade would cost an extra £17.3bn a year.
Streeting also backed Donald Trump's calls for Europe to shoulder more of its own security burden, but said the government would not "suck up" to the US President. Burnham has said he will put UK interests first in dealings with Trump, even if it means disagreeing.
Conservative shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge has questioned whether Burnham will increase spending to 3% in the current Parliament, due to run until 2029. For now, Carns remains on the back benches, watching to see if Healey delivers the funds that both men resigned over.
