Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Citing deep concerns over defence funding and military preparedness, two ministers in the Prime Minister Keir Starmer Cabinet have resigned. Defence Minister John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns resigned on June 11. The unexpected resignations are another blow to Starmer, who is likely to face a challenge to his leadership in the coming months.
According to Reuters, Healey, a previously loyal minister, had been locked in talks with Starmer and Finance Minister Rachel Reeves over how to meet the additional military spending needed, delaying Britain’s Defence Investment Plan, which was due last year.
“You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country,” Healey said in his letter to Starmer. Starmer responded with a letter expressing regret at Healey’s resignation and by appointing the security minister, Dan Jarvis, as defence secretary. Starmer has told the BBC he has a “duty” to stay on as prime minister as he justified his decisions on defence spending. He insisted he had made “hard-edged” choices, including getting every department to make cuts to pay for defence.
In a veiled warning to potential leadership challengers in his own party, he said: “Whoever is prime minister is going to face the same prevailing winds as I am facing, none of that is going to change.” Announcing his resignation on X, Carns had said the Government was failing to adequately support Britain’s armed forces.
“We owe those who serve the UK the kit to do the job and the loyalty to stand by them when it’s done. We are failing on both,” he wrote. “I’ve spent my whole time in government making that case. Number 10 will not listen, so I am resigning as Minister for the Armed Forces,” he added.
Starmer’s health minister, Wes Streeting, resigned last month, accusing the Prime Minister of lacking a vision, and another challenger, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, is attempting to return to frontline politics to launch a leadership bid.
