Dan Jarvis has been appointed as the UK Defence Minister following the resignation of his predecessor, John Healey, over budgetary disagreements regarding military investment, Downing Street announced on Thursday.
Jarvis, a former army officer, previously served as the Secretary of State for Security within the Home Office in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government.
John Healey, who had been serving as the Secretary of State for Defence since 5 July 2024, resigned over disagreements regarding the Government’s defence spending plans.
His resignation letter criticized the Prime Minister and Treasury for not committing sufficient resources to meet the country’s defence needs, highlighting concerns about military readiness and personnel safety.
Healey’s departure came amid a long-running dispute over the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which aimed to increase UK defence spending.
His resignation adds pressure to Prime Minister Starmer, who faces political instability and internal challenges ahead of a crucial by-election next week.
Starmer's Labour government has pledged to increase military spending and intends to present the defence investment plan before the NATO summit on 7–8 July.
Recent events in Iran have spotlighted the consequences of years of underinvestment and industrial delays, which have left the UK's Navy with limited presence in the region.
Starmer has committed to raising defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, to 3% after 2029, and to 3.5% by 2035, in line with NATO targets.
However, Healey stated that he had warned he could not support a deal that left the armed forces underfunded.
"After explaining to you that I would not be able to accept a DIP settlement that does not give our Forces the resources they need, I am now left with no other option than to submit my resignation as your Defence Secretary," he said in his resignation letter, addressed to the Prime Minister.
