The government’s defence spending plans unravelled on Thursday night as both the defence secretary and the armed forces minister resigned, accusing Sir Keir Starmer of leaving the country unprepared for war.
John Healey stepped down with “great regret and reluctance”, writing to the prime minister that the financial settlement for the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), finalised on Monday, “falls way short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time”. He claimed he was “being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations”. In his resignation letter, Healey blamed Starmer and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, saying: “You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats.” He argued the UK should be spending 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, but the current plan proposed only 2.68%.
“Defence secretary John Healey and armed forces minister Al Carns quit over 'inadequate' military spending, accusing Starmer of underfunding.”
Within hours, Al Carns, the armed forces minister, followed him out. Carns wrote that the DIP “is not built for the threat we face” and that “it has become clear to me that the change I had pushed for is not going to come”. He added: “A serious country funds its defence to meet the threat it actually faces, not the threat it wishes it faced.” Carns also attacked the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill, saying “it risks failing the very veterans it claims to protect”. Pamela Nash, Healey’s parliamentary private secretary, also resigned.
Dan Jarvis, a former army officer, was appointed defence secretary to replace Healey. He told the Sunday Telegraph he felt a “very strong weight of responsibility” to the armed forces. “Those amazing people who serve in our armed forces look to us to provide that leadership and to work across government to make sure that they’ve got the resources in place that they need,” Jarvis said. He acknowledged the “challenge” of “constrained fiscal resource” but said he was “absolutely determined to make sure that we deliver for defence”. Downing Street insisted the DIP would be published before next month’s Nato summit, though it is not expected in the coming week.
The political fallout spread rapidly. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, sent a letter to Labour leadership rivals including Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Ed Miliband, urging them to cut welfare spending to boost defence. “We cannot have our military inadequately funded at a time of growing threats,” she wrote. “I repeat my offer again today, and ask you to meet with me to discuss defence funding.” Burnham, who is standing in a by-election next week, told The Times he would also cut welfare, aiming for a “more preventative state that makes the right investments to support people into work”.
With the government committed to increasing defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035 but the DIP repeatedly delayed, Jarvis now faces the task of reconciling the military’s needs with a Treasury unwilling to release more cash.