Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government is plunged into crisis after Defence Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns resigned over military funding disputes. The resignations, announced on Thursday, highlight deep divisions within Downing Street amid concerns over the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) and its impact on national security.
Scathing Resignation Letters
Defence Secretary John Healey slammed the government’s proposed defence funding, describing the DIP as “well short” of the level needed to protect the UK amid rising global threats. Healey directly accused Starmer of being “unable” and the Treasury of being “unwilling” to provide adequate resources for the Armed Forces. Hours later, Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, a former Royal Marine officer, followed suit, stating he could not “defend a level of investment I know to be inadequate to the task.” Carns criticised the government for focusing on “how to fight the last war rather than the next one.”
Widening Political Fallout
The backlash escalated as two parliamentary private secretaries, Pamela Nash and Rachel Hopkins, resigned in solidarity. The walkouts underscore serious discontent over future military procurement and defence spending plans.
Funding Disputes Exposed
Despite government commitments to raise defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, the current Treasury proposal reportedly caps defence expenditure at 2.68% of GDP by 2030, delaying the 3% spending target until the mid-2030s. Healey and Carns warn that this slow funding increase risks cuts to troop readiness and puts personnel deploying on operations in jeopardy.
Starmer Acts Swiftly
In response, Starmer appointed Dan Jarvis, a former Parachute Regiment officer and serving security minister, as the new Defence Secretary. Starmer defended the DIP as the “largest sustained increase in UK defence spending since the Cold War,” calling it “fair, sustainable, and capable” of preserving national safety.
Opposition And Critics React
Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch praised Healey’s resignation as an “honourable” stand against a government “falling apart.” Critics across parties question whether the administration can maintain national security amid escalating internal conflicts over public spending.
