Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as prime minister and Labour leader, but Downing Street insists the controversial defence investment plan will still be published before next month’s Nato summit — a decision that has already cost two defence ministers their jobs.
A Downing Street spokesman said there would be no new “major policies” or spending decisions during the transition to the next prime minister, but the government is still planning to press ahead with the defence spending proposals. The move could cause tension with Sir Keir’s successor, who may want to revise defence spending when they take over.
“Sir Keir Starmer resigns but government pushes ahead with defence plan despite ministerial resignations.”
On Monday, Sir Keir announced he would resign as Labour leader and prime minister but will stay on until the party picks a replacement. Andy Burnham, the newly elected MP for Makerfield and the only candidate to have formally joined the leadership race so far, has previously said he would reduce the welfare bill by getting more people into work and thereby ensuring more money for defence.
Al Carns, who is considering entering the contest, resigned as armed forces minister last month in protest at the defence investment plan (DIP), which he said was “not built for the threat we face”. Earlier, John Healey resigned as defence secretary, saying a planned rise to 2.68% of GDP by 2020 fell “well short” of the 3% target he argued was necessary.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the plan would be published before the Nato summit in Turkey on 7 July, and said it would “involve more money, spent more effectively and meet the scale of the challenges we face”.
New Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis signalled he is pushing for extra money for the armed forces and aims to publish a defence investment plan but not “at any cost”. He said he has had “very good and constructive” meetings.
There have been reports that the Ministry of Defence is asking for an extra £28bn between now and the end of the decade, but had only been offered an additional £10bn. Sir Keir has said he has asked all government departments to cut their investment budgets to free up extra money for defence, but there is no suggestion that spending will increase above what had already been set out in the investment plan seen by Healey.
MPs have already warned that repeated delays to publication were undermining the UK’s credibility with allies. If either Burnham or Carns becomes prime minister, they will have to decide whether to stick to the current plan or unpick it, further postponing its implementation.