Trio of senior defence figures accuse Starmer of underfunding military | Defence policy

Keir Starmer is leaving British troops underfunded and unable to carry out the operations he expects them to do, three senior defense officials told parliament on Tuesday.

The prime minister has come under fire with separate interventions by former defense secretary John Healey, former defense minister Al Carns and the country’s current top military officer, Rich Knighton.

All three accused Starmer of underfunding the military amid a bitter row over the defense investment plan (Dip) that has revived concerns among Labor MPs about the government’s direction.

Healey and Carns made their House of Commons resignation speeches just days after leaving government in protest against Dip, which is expected to provide an additional £13.5bn to the Ministry of Defense (MoD) over four years.

Healey told the House of Commons: “It is with great regret and reluctance that I have taken the decision to resign. I remain confident in that decision. I believe that, over time, this will be deemed necessary to secure the future of our armed forces and our alliances.”

In comments highlighting Labour’s concerns about Starmer’s reluctance to embrace radical policy options, he added: “This is not a time for calibration or incremental change.

“This means bigger policy, bolder priorities, tougher choices, and Britain’s challenge now is the transformation and rearmament of our armed forces.”

Speaking of how much the country spends on defense as a share of GDP, he said: “I see current defense investment plans falling well short of what is needed – a 0.08% increase from next year to 2030, no date to get to 3%, no path to 3.5% by 2030.”

Many of Healey’s comments were echoed by Carns, who resigned hours after the defense minister resigned on Thursday.

“The reality is that we are spending too much time preparing for last year’s war, not tomorrow’s war, and I urge the House to push for transformation, to push harder, to push for delivery this side of 2030,” Carns said.

Speaking earlier to parliament’s defense select committee, defense chief Knighton said the UK would be forced to “dial back” military operations over the next few years if the Ministry of Defense did not get more than was offered.

In fact, referring to military activities in Europe, Ukraine and the Middle East, he said, “If the level of resource financing available to us does not increase, we will have to turn back our activities, our exercises, our operational activities.”

All three interventions highlighted concerns among Labor MPs about Starmer’s reluctance to back up his rhetoric with radical policy solutions and his apparent reluctance to override his chancellor, Rachel Reeves.

These could have a significant impact on the prime minister’s future, given that Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is hoping to win the Makerfield by-election on Thursday on the promise of challenging the prime minister if elected.

In a separate speech on Tuesday, former health minister Wes Streeting called on the prime minister to set a timetable for Burnham’s departure if she wins the seat.

“I hope that when the results come, the prime minister will consider his position and set a timetable,” he said. “I think this will be a better path for everyone and enable the better culture we desire.”

Starmer insisted he would not accept such demands.

Speaking to Times Radio from the G7 summit at Évians-les-Bains, he said: “I don’t think there should be a contest. If there is a contest I intend to be in it and to fight it.”

He also appeared to reject pressure to increase the defense budget, saying: “I am responsible for delivering the biggest increase in defense spending since the 1980s. Last year we did this from 2.3% to 2.6%.”

“The defense investment plan is about capabilities for the future, so there’s more money beyond that… What we’re doing now is working with the new secretary of defense to look at what capabilities he wants to prioritize.”

Sources say the prime minister has given the new defense minister Dan Jarvis two weeks to learn the details of Dip and request any changes before the plan is announced ahead of the NATO summit in early July.