Armed Forces Minister Al Carns follows John Healey out of government, warning Britain’s defence plans are “neither transformative enough nor sufficiently funded”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing a deepening political crisis after Armed Forces Minister Al Carns resigned from the Government, following Defence Secretary John Healey’s dramatic departure over military spending.
Carns announced his resignation on Thursday evening, warning that the Government’s proposed Defence Investment Plan was not capable of meeting the challenges facing Britain’s armed forces. His departure came just hours after Healey quit in a highly critical letter in which he argued that the level of defence spending being proposed fell short of what was needed to keep the country safe.
The twin resignations represent a major blow to Sir Keir’s authority and raise fresh questions about Labour’s approach to national security at a time of growing international instability.
In his resignation letter, Carns said he could no longer support a defence strategy that he believed was inadequate for the threats Britain faces. Drawing on his experience as a former Royal Marine, he warned that modern warfare is evolving rapidly and argued that military procurement and investment have failed to keep pace.
He said Britain was still buying equipment designed for yesterday’s conflicts while potential adversaries were preparing for the wars of the future. He warned that expensive military platforms could increasingly be neutralised by far cheaper technologies, and argued that any credible defence plan needed to reflect that reality.
Carns stated that the Defence Investment Plan was “neither transformative enough nor sufficiently funded”, adding that he could not stand before Parliament and defend investment levels he believed were insufficient.
His resignation also criticised the Government’s handling of Northern Ireland legacy legislation, claiming it remained unfit for purpose despite attempts to improve it from within government. He said he had reached the point where he could no longer argue his case honourably while remaining a minister.
In a broader attack on the Government’s performance, Carns suggested the machinery of government was failing to respond effectively to modern challenges. He argued that departments were too often fighting each other instead of solving problems, decision-making had become excessively slow, and public confidence in institutions was being eroded.
The former minister also spoke of growing insecurity among working people, saying many taxpayers felt they were doing everything expected of them yet remained only one setback away from financial difficulty.
His departure follows the resignation of John Healey, one of Sir Keir’s closest allies, who warned that the Government had failed to provide the resources needed to prepare Britain’s armed forces for an increasingly dangerous world.
Healey expressed concern that funding commitments were being pushed into future years despite the need for urgent investment now. He accused both the Prime Minister and the Treasury of failing to commit the level of resources required to meet rising global threats.
The Government had reportedly been considering an increase of around £13.5 billion in defence spending over the next four years, significantly below the £28 billion additional funding sought by the Ministry of Defence.
Sir Keir has defended his record, insisting that the Defence Investment Plan will provide the military with the resources it needs while maintaining fiscal discipline. The Prime Minister said difficult decisions were necessary and argued that irresponsible borrowing would ultimately undermine Britain’s security.
However, the resignations have intensified criticism from opponents who claim Labour is failing to take national defence seriously enough. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described Healey’s decision to resign as “the honourable thing to do” and said the warnings contained in his resignation letter were deeply concerning.
The crisis comes at an awkward moment for Sir Keir, with a crucial by-election approaching and growing speculation about his long-term future as Labour leader. Recent disappointing election results have already prompted criticism from within his own party, while the departure of two senior ministers in quick succession will fuel further questions about the stability of his government.
Former Army officer Dan Jarvis has now been appointed Defence Secretary and will inherit the task of finalising a defence spending blueprint that both of his predecessors have publicly criticised.
For many observers, the unprecedented sight of a Defence Secretary and an Armed Forces Minister resigning over the same issue sends a stark message. Whatever assurances are coming from Downing Street, those closest to Britain’s military appear unconvinced that the Government is providing the level of investment needed to meet the threats of an increasingly uncertain world.
