Al Carns Urges Prime Minister to Make "Bold" Defence Funding Decisions After Resignation
Former Armed Forces Minister Al Carns has publicly stated that the Prime Minister must make "bold and courageous" decisions regarding defence funding. Carns' remarks came a day after his resignation, attributing his departure to the government's failure to provide adequate investment and the absence of innovation in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan (DIP).
His resignation closely followed that of Defence Secretary John Healey, who also accused the Prime Minister of being "unable" to allocate sufficient funds for national security. The resignations have further weakened Sir Keir Starmer's position, particularly after poor election results in early May.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle expressed regret over Healey's departure but affirmed his confidence in the Prime Minister and Chancellor to deliver a defence plan. When asked about Sir Keir's leadership longevity, Kyle avoided a direct answer, instead emphasising the Prime Minister's "purpose."
Defence Investment Plan Under Scrutiny
The Prime Minister now faces the decision of whether to revise the long-delayed DIP in light of the criticisms from Healey and Carns, or to proceed with its publication ahead of next month's NATO summit. Dan Jarvis, Security Minister and a former British Army officer, has been appointed to replace Healey and will oversee the DIP's delivery.
The plan, initially expected in autumn of last year, is intended to detail the funding for new equipment and infrastructure over the next decade. Carns warned that the military could face significant challenges within "the next two to three years should we be tested," predicting a "geographically constrained contest" involving the UK and its allies.
He argued that the DIP was "looking at how to fight the last war not the next one," criticising its lack of innovation, failure to incorporate lessons from the Ukraine conflict, and inadequate refinement of procurement processes. Carns advocated for a candid public discussion about national threats and urged for "bold and courageous decisions to put the funding in the right place." He suggested re-evaluating welfare spending to achieve a balance with defence needs, acknowledging the difficulty of this undertaking.
Kyle defended the government's defence spending record, highlighting "historic investment" aimed at increasing expenditure to 2.6% of national income. He acknowledged that both the Prime Minister and Chancellor desired greater defence spending but insisted it must be done "responsibly" within the constraints of a stagnant economy.
The government is committed to implementing the recommendations of last year's Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which called for moving to "war-fighting readiness" and allocating billions for ammunition, next-generation jets, drones, and new attack submarines. The DIP is meant to outline how these commitments will be funded, but its publication has been repeatedly delayed due to internal departmental disagreements over financial sources. Reports suggest Sir Keir is requesting a 1% cut from all government departments' capital budgets to raise £6 billion for defence.
