Starmer says no further defence funding planned

Sir Keir Starmer is refusing to increase defence spending, even after John Healey’s successor pushed for more money for the armed forces.

The Prime Minister is expected to offer new Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis the same £13.5 billion funding package that prompted Healey’s resignation last week.

Jarvis has instead been instructed to identify savings within the Ministry of Defence, and spent the weekend going through the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan with senior officials.

So far, however, formal talks between the Ministry of Defence, the Treasury and Downing Street have yet to begin.

There had been speculation that Healey’s departure would pressure Starmer into committing extra funds to the investment plan, but that has not happened.

Jarvis, a former paratrooper who had served as security minister since the 2024 general election, has now been granted an extra two weeks to try to finalise the proposal before the plan is published.

But defence sources have said Mr Jarvis should refuse to agree to the plan unless the settlement receives a £4.5billion boost.

Army chiefs have said that the current £13.5billion settlement is less than half of the £28billion the military needs. 

Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister to publish the DIP at the Nato summit in Turkey on July 7, where Donald Trump is expected to pressure European countries into spending more on defence. 

Starmer is also racing to resolve the defence funding shambles ahead of a potentially difficult meeting with President Trump at the G7.

The row has yet to be resolved less than a day before the PM heads to the gathering in France.

There are concerns the US President will continue to criticise the UK’s military capabilities and demand Nato countries increase their budgets.

However, a Cabinet Minister confirmed this morning that the Defence Secretary is negotiating more money for the military.

Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said discussions are happening ‘in real time’ on how to increase the funding package offered to John Healey – which sparked his resignation last week.

Mr Jarvis laid down a marker today saying he is determined to get the military ‘what they need’.

And asked on the BBC this morning whether the Government was looking to ‘find more money’ for the Defence Investment Plan, Ms Nandy said: ‘Yeah.’

Lisa Nandy admitted discussions are happening ‘in real time’ on how to increase the package offered to John Healey – which sparked his resignation last week

‘These discussions are happening in real time,’ she added.

Sir Keir has been desperately trying to shore up his position after it emerged a funding boost of just £10billion was being proposed for the DIP.

The blueprint has been held up by months of haggling over warnings from military chiefs that there is a £28billion hole in budgets over the next four years.

Mr Healey quit on Thursday – and was followed out of the door by his deputy Al Carns and two ministerial aides, all condemning the settlement.

There was an agonising nine-hour wait before security minister Mr Jarvis was finally promoted to the key job.

The chaotic episode has further loosened Sir Keir’s grip on power, as he braces for Andy Burnham to mount a leadership challenge if he wins the Makerfield by-election on Thursday.

Mr Jarvis told the Sunday Telegraph he had a ‘big responsibility’ towards soldiers who risk their lives for the country.

‘The defence of our nation is a shared endeavour… I have a big responsibility in that regard now, but so do all of those people who expose themselves to risk tonight, tomorrow, next week, and we owe them a debt of gratitude,’ he said.

‘I have a responsibility now to them to make sure that they get what they need, and people should be very clear about my determination to fulfil those duties, to make sure that they do (get) precisely what they need.’

The Ministry of Defence and No 10 were approached for comment.