Two UK ministers quit over defence funding row as Starmer faces cabinet rebellion
Defence Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns resigned on Thursday, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to provide the funds needed to protect the country against growing threats.
Resignation letters
Defence Secretary John Healey published his resignation letter on social media on 11 June 2026, telling the Prime Minister he could no longer stay in post.
Healey said Starmer had been unable, and the Treasury unwilling, to allocate the resources the nation required at a time of rising threats. He warned that the financial framework for the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which he received only on the Monday afternoon, fell significantly short of what was needed and would force cuts in military readiness.I did not expect to write this letter and I do so with deep regret and reluctance.
Second departure
Hours later, Armed Forces Minister Al Carns resigned after telling Sky News that the spending plan presented by Starmer was not enough. His exit deepened the sense of crisis inside the Labour government. Both ministers had been appointed after Labour won the July 2024 general election.
The spending dispute
The row over how to fund the military has dragged on for months, delaying the long-awaited DIP. The plan was originally due last autumn and had been expected this week. Healey noted that cross-government work completed in January confirmed the scale of the challenges, that defence needs had grown further since, and that Britain had to meet a NATO commitment to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035, with 3% needed by 2030.
The agreed financial framework for the Defence Investment Plan … falls significantly short of what is necessary for the nation’s defence and security in this dangerous time.
Parliamentary warning
On Sunday the influential Public Accounts Committee warned that the delay was costing the UK the chance to modernise its armed forces, undermining the country’s credibility with allies and weakening its ability to deter adversaries.
Political crisis
Starmer is already under pressure from poor polling and a rebellion within his own party, with some MPs calling for him to stand down. The double resignation leaves the government exposed on a core national-security issue.
- John Healey appointed Defence Secretary after Labour election win
- Defence Investment Plan originally expected to be published
- Cross-departmental review confirms scale of defence needs
- Public Accounts Committee warns delay harms military modernisation
- Healey resigns; Armed Forces Minister Al Carns follows hours later
