Starmer latest: New defence secretary to speak this morning after cabinet resignations leave PM in turmoil

The Independent’s Political Correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Increasing defence spending in an “irresponsible way” would be “a zero sum game”, a Cabinet minister has said, arguing that Sir Keir Starmer has led the country in a “steadfast way” when it comes to defence.

Peter Kyle told Sky News: “3 per cent or 2.5 per cent or 2.6 per cent, where we are now, are all more important in a growing economy, because it generates more money.

“If we did it in a way that was irresponsible, then you’d end up impacting the growth of our economy, and it would be a zero sum game. It would be fool’s gold if we did so in an irresponsible way.

“We are doing it in a responsible way that drives growth into our economy, and also, don’t forget we are designing a highly complex plan, and we want to make sure it benefits British jobs, British businesses, so that it builds the resilience of our economy, as well as the resilience of our defence.

“These are highly, highly challenging things, and the prime minister, you know, has led through this in a steadfast way since he started.

“Don’t forget, last year somebody resigned from Cabinet simply because of the way that he was increasing and the speed and the manner in which he was increasing money and defence spending.”So these are challenging things, and he has shown quite remarkable purpose in the way that he’s done so.”

Political editor David Maddox highlights how the factors that precipitated John Healey’s resignation go well beyond a row over defence spending…

The Independent’s Political Correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

The business and trade secretary has insisted that defence is a “priority” for the government, despite John Healey’s shock resignation on Thursday.

Speaking to Sky News about the former defence secretary’s scathing criticism of Sir Keir Starmer’s approach to defence, Peter Kyle said: “We’re doing a really difficult thing. We are increasing investment into our defence services at a point at which the world is changing rapidly, and the world events are changing rapidly, and we need to get it right.

“We need to fund it. It is a priority of this government.

“We’ve already moved funding to 2.6 per cent. We promised to get to 2.5 per cent in this parliament, so we got to 2.6 per cent years ahead of what people thought we would.

“We now go to that really challenging period of setting out what the next decade will look like at a time of global challenge, global instability to conflicts which are directly impacting our economy and our country, and the technology that’s driving defense changing profoundly.

“So we are setting out before the Nato summit at the early July what that looks like, and we are just finalising those plans. We now have a new Secretary of State that will see that forward.”

Following John Healey’s departure, Dan Jarvis was announced by Downing Street as his successor as Defence Secretary.

Mr Jarvis, a Parachute Regiment veteran who has been serving as security minister, will now be expected to defend what is expected to be a £13.5 billion uplift in defence spending, a figure which military chiefs say is far short of what is needed to fund the transformation of the armed forces.

While the Government has committed to spending 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035, Mr Healey said the plan he was presented with on Monday moved too slowly, with defence spending rising to just 2.68% in 2030 after hitting 2.6% next year.

Sources said the deal offered by the Treasury did not put a date on increasing spending to 3%, and had tried to force the MoD to plan to only reach that figure in 2034/35.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle denied the defence investment plan (Dip) was in tatters as a result of the resignations of John Healey and Al Carns.

He told Times Radio “the plan is being developed” and “we are determined to get it right”.

“We are talking about an enormous amount of money going into defence at a period of time where we have to modernise the way we think about defence, but also make sure that we do so in a way that benefits British jobs,” he said.

“This is highly complex. Now, the Prime Minister, all the way through this, has done it in a way, has delivered for defence, in a way that is challenging.

“Of course, he has had to take tough decisions.”

Mr Kyle said his department was making cuts in order to contribute to the increase in defence funding, but he would not reveal details before the publication of the Dip, which is due to be released before next month’s summit of Nato leaders.

“The plan will be set out in a short amount of time before the Nato summit,” he said.

A Conservative MP has said the government is “turning in on itself” following John Healey’s resignation.

MP for Thirsk & Malton Kevin Hollinrake said in a post on X: “Labour’s own people are telling you everything you need to know.”

He added: “Wes Streeting: Reeves has no plan for growth.

“Pat McFadden: all Labour want to do is tax more to pay more benefits.

“John Healey: Starmer won’t fund our armed forces.

“Jess Phillips: PM only acted to protect women and girls when it needed to save his own skin over Mandelson.”

A former security minister has warned that “the enemy is at the gate and we’re still not taking this seriously” after John Healey quit as defence secretary over a dispute about long-term funding for the military.

Tom Tugendhat, Conservative MP and a former soldier, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Mr Healey’s words as he resigned, accusing the Prime Minister of failing to properly fund the Defence Investment Plan (Dip), were “damning”.

He added: “The reality is now the enemy is at the gate, and we’re still not taking this seriously.

“So, it’s one of those ‘If not now, when?’ moments.”

The former security minister is a former member of the Parachute Regiment who served in the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq.

He was once thought to have ambitions to become the Labour leader, but the Barnsley North MP has kept a relatively low-profile.

In 2018, he was elected as the first Mayor of South Yorkshire, and after leaving the mayoralty, he was appointed Shadow Security Minister in September 2023.

Sir Keir Starmer suffered another hammer blow to his authority as the armed forces minister followed John Healey in leaving the government.

Al Carns quit as a defence minister on Thursday evening, writing to the prime minister to tell him he could not defend “a level of investment I know to be inadequate to the task”.

Mr Healey had earlier resigned as defence secretary claiming Sir Keir had been “unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling”, to provide adequate funding for the defence investment plan (DIP).