Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to deliver "an unprecedented increase in defence spending" following a dramatic triple resignation that has shaken his government. Defence Secretary John Healey quit earlier today, launching a scathing attack on the Prime Minister and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, claiming long-delayed plans for military investment would leave the armed forces exposed and Britain less secure.
The Prime Minister then faced a second departure later on Thursday when Pamela Nash, a ministerial aide at the Ministry of Defence, followed her boss through the exit door. In a triple blow, Al Carns also resigned as a defence minister, writing to the Prime Minister that he could not defend "a level of investment I know to be inadequate to the task."
Starmer's Response
In a letter responding to Mr Healey's resignation, Mr Starmer suggested the former Defence Secretary was mistaken to attack the government's dedication to defence spending. He stated that the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) will "provide the resources our military need to keep us safe." The PM claimed the proposals are supported by "necessary investment," insisting that the DIP will be backed by "sustainable and fair" spending increases. He added: "Strong public finances are part of what keeps us safe - irresponsible borrowing only puts that at risk."
Healey's Criticism
In his resignation letter, Mr Healey accused the PM of failing to stand up to the Treasury, which he alleged was reluctant to pledge the funds required to protect the nation. This comes as ministers remain embroiled in a heated row over how to finance the long-awaited DIP, which is already running more than six months behind schedule. Mr Healey stated that the plan, which he was shown on Monday, "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time."
Carns's Resignation
Former Royal Marines commando Mr Carns wrote in his resignation letter: "I have sat in the rooms, seen the assessments, and spoken to the commanders who will be asked to do more with less, and I cannot in good conscience stand at the dispatch box and defend a level of investment I know to be inadequate to the task. A serious country funds its defence to meet the threat it actually faces, not the threat it wishes it faced."
Nash's Departure
Defence ministerial aide Pamela Nash also stepped down, criticising the government's "failure to be bold when it matters most." In a letter to the PM, the former Parliamentary Private Secretary stated: "The delays and difficulties securing the necessary funding to progress the Defence Investment Plan has been the latest issue that is damaging the trust of the public in us. We saw this laid bare in last month's election results. Our Government's successes are consistently drowned out by mistakes and the failure to be bold when it matters most."
Defence Investment Plan Details
The Mirror understands that Mr Healey felt a 0.08% increase in defence spending committed in the plan was inadequate to reverse years of depletion of Britain's armed forces. He believed the uplift would equate to an additional £10 billion over four years, with military chiefs reportedly viewing a £13.5 billion pledge from the government as Treasury sleight of hand.
Dan Jarvis, a former Parachute Regiment officer, was appointed Mr Healey's successor late on Thursday.
Starmer's Full Letter to Healey
In his letter, the Prime Minister wrote: "The world today is more dangerous and uncertain than at any point in our lifetimes. That requires a serious response to build our economic resilience and our national defences. We have accomplished a tremendous amount while collaborating together. We took over a scenario where our military forces had endured years of insufficient funding and abandonment. Our efforts spearheading the Coalition of the Willing regarding Ukraine, protecting our Gulf partners, and collaborating with allied nations on a strategy for the Strait of Hormuz has contributed to making the globe more secure.
"I take pride in our funding achievements. Upon entering office in 2024, I made the choice to boost defence expenditure following the Conservatives' gutting of our military forces. This necessitated a reduction to the international aid budget, yet the outcome was the most significant sustained rise in defence investment since the Cold War. I shall always take whatever action is required to safeguard our nation.
"I appreciate your efforts in delivering all of this. You are also correct that we must advance further. The Defence Investment Plan achieves precisely that - providing an extraordinary rise in defence expenditure through sustainable means. It shall supply the resources our military requires to protect us and the transparency the British defence sector needs for planning. It shall enable the major strategic investments we require for the future and provide the assurance which private funding needs to invest.
"It shall permit our military forces to evolve and update while supporting them with the equipment they need to transform how we engage in warfare - and to discourage our adversaries. And vitally, it will ensure the money spent is used judiciously and directed towards supporting jobs and growth here in Britain.
"We are endorsing this with the necessary investment. The increases in spending that underpin this plan will be sustainable and equitable. They will entail significant reallocations of funding from across government departments and the correct choices to safeguard our nation. Robust public finances are part of what keeps us safe - reckless borrowing only jeopardises that.
"Making these decisions is never straightforward. I am committed to rebuilding our country after years of weathering crises. I regret that you will not be part of that work moving forward."
