Sir Keir Starmer is under intense pressure after two key defence ministers resigned over a row about military funding. Armed forces minister Al Carns followed defence secretary John Healey in quitting, dealing a significant blow to the Prime Minister's leadership.
Resignations over defence investment
Labour MP Al Carns, a former Royal Marines officer, said the defence investment plan was not "transformative enough" and looked backward rather than forward. He criticised both the level of funding and the type of military equipment being procured. Asked whether his resignation was a matter of principle or ambition, Carns replied: "My whole career has been put to service. If I wanted to be ambitious, I wouldn't have got into politics."
Two other defence ministerial aides, Pamela Nash and Rachel Hopkins, also resigned, adding to the turmoil. Labour MP Graham Stringer described Starmer as a "dead Prime Minister walking", while a senior Labour adviser said: "This isn't the beginning of the end, it has gone way beyond that."
Starmer defends his record
In response, Sir Keir defended his record on military funding. "I have taken the difficult decisions to make sure that we are safe as a country, because that is my number one priority," he said. He insisted he would fight any leadership challenge, not out of "stubbornness" or "vanity" but from a "deep sense of duty".
"I'm not going to go away. I don't think we should plunge the country into the chaos of a leadership election. I don't think it should happen, but if it does then I will fight," Starmer added. However, he admitted he has "got to turn things around" to remain as Prime Minister.
Potential challenger emerges
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is expected to return to Westminster in next week's Makerfield by-election and has not hidden his leadership ambitions. New Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis and Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton have met Starmer for talks. Downing Street said the defence investment plan was still being finalised but did not confirm if Jarvis had been offered more funding. A No 10 spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister has been clear that he is determined to publish it before the Nato summit in July."
