Sir Keir Starmer was savaged in the House of Commons on Tuesday and was hit with fierce criticism from two of his own former defence ministers after they dramatically accused the government of failing to properly fund Britain’s armed forces at a time of mounting global threats.
In a blistering resignation speech, former Defence Secretary John Healey warned that Britain’s military ambitions were not being matched by the resources needed to deliver them.
His intervention laid bare the growing divisions at the heart of Government over defence spending, with ministers facing increasing pressure to accelerate military investment as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues and tensions rise across Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
Supporters of higher defence spending have long argued Britain should commit to spending at least 3 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030, matching targets already adopted by many Nato allies.
But Mr Healey revealed there remains no timetable for reaching that goal.
At this dangerous time, I see the current defence investment plans falling well short of what is required,” he told Parliament.
He warned that Britain’s adversaries would not wait for Treasury calculations before acting.
There is no date for reaching 3 per cent, no path to 3.5 per cent,” he said, adding that Britain’s enemies “do not follow timetables set by the Treasury.
The former defence secretary argued that allies around the world were increasingly looking to Britain for leadership and warned that the country risked falling behind as other nations rapidly expand their military capabilities.
Mr Healey defended his decision to resign, saying it had become necessary in order to fight for the future of the armed forces.
His departure was quickly followed by that of former Armed Forces minister Al Carns, who delivered an equally stark warning about Britain’s readiness for future conflicts.
A former Royal Marines colonel, Mr Carns said he no longer believed the Government’s defence investment plans reflected the realities of modern warfare.
“I no longer believe the defence investment plan was prepared for the wars we are most likely to fight,” he said.
Pointing to lessons from Ukraine, he warned that military technology was evolving at extraordinary speed and that traditional assumptions about warfare were being overturned.
“A navy without a ship has destroyed a navy. A drone costing thousands can destroy a tank costing millions,” he said.
He noted that low-cost drones were now capable of striking targets thousands of kilometres away at a fraction of the cost of conventional aircraft.
The challenge facing Britain, he argued, was achieving the right balance between advanced military capabilities and affordable mass-produced systems capable of surviving modern battlefields.
From his perspective, that balance had not been achieved.
The twin resignations represent one of the most damaging public rebukes yet of Labour’s defence policy and will intensify questions over whether Britain is investing enough to meet the growing threats confronting the West.
With no indication that additional funding is imminent, critics warn the gap between Britain’s military commitments and its military capabilities may continue to widen.
For Starmer, the message from two of his most senior former defence figures could hardly be clearer: in an increasingly dangerous world, delay carries its own risks.
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