UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged Thursday to deliver an unprecedented increase in defence spending after three government officials resigned over a funding dispute. Defence Secretary John Healey quit on 11 Jun 2026, followed by ministerial aide Pamela Nash and defence minister Al Carns, all citing inadequate investment levels in the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP). Healey claimed the plan falls well short of requirements, while Starmer defended the DIP as providing necessary resources backed by sustainable spending increases. The triple departure marks the fourth Cabinet-level resignation since Starmer's government took power in 2024, intensifying pressure on the Prime Minister's authority.
Three Defence Officials Resign Over Funding Plan
John Healey resigned as Defence Secretary this morning after 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 render Britain less secure. Pamela Nash, a ministerial aide at the Ministry of Defence, followed her boss through the exit door later on Thursday. Al Carns then quit as a defence minister, writing to the Prime Minister to tell him he could not defend "a level of investment I know to be inadequate to the task."
In his resignation letter, former Royal Marines commando Carns wrote: "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."
Defence ministerial aide Pamela Nash also stepped down from her role, 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."
Healey Cites £10 Billion Gap in Defence Investment
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. In his resignation letter, 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."
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 £10billion over four years, with military chiefs reportedly viewing a £13.5billion pledge from the government as Treasury sleight of hand. In his resignation letter, 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.
Starmer Defends Defence Investment Plan as Sustainable
In a letter responding to Healey's resignation, Starmer suggested he was mistaken to attack the Government's dedication to defence spending, stating the Defence Investment Plan will "provide the resources our military need to keep us safe." He claimed the proposals are supported by "necessary investment", insisting that the DIP will be backed by "sustainable and fair" spending increases.
The PM added: "Strong public finances are part of what keeps us safe - irresponsible borrowing only puts that at risk." In his letter, Starmer wrote: "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."
Starmer noted in his letter: "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."
Dan Jarvis Appointed New Defence Secretary
Dan Jarvis, a former Parachute Regiment officer, was appointed Healey's successor late on Thursday. Healey is the fourth Cabinet minister to leave Starmer's Government since coming to power and the second to resign over policy differences after Wes Streeting quit as health secretary last month amid the fallout from Labour's local election losses.
FAQ
Why did John Healey resign as UK Defence Secretary?
John Healey resigned on 11 Jun 2026 after claiming the Defence Investment Plan falls well short of requirements. He believed the 0.08% spending increase would equate to £10billion over four years, which he considered inadequate to reverse years of depletion of Britain's armed forces, and accused the Prime Minister of failing to stand up to the Treasury.
What did Prime Minister Starmer say about the Defence Investment Plan?
Starmer defended the DIP as providing an unprecedented increase in defence spending through sustainable means. He stated the plan will provide the resources the military needs to keep the country safe and will be backed by sustainable and fair spending increases, adding that strong public finances are part of what keeps the nation secure.
