US urges Starmer to boost UK military strength with ‘urgency’

US urges Starmer to boost UK military strength with ‘urgency’ The intervention will pile further pressure on the prime minister after two ministers dramatically resigned over armed forces spending, claiming Sir Keir was failing to keep Britain safe - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Trump officials have told Sir Keir Starmer he must boost Britain’s military with “urgency, scale, and determination”, as the prime minister insisted he would fight on despite a major row over defence spending. Sir Keir’s premiership was plunged into crisis once again after his defence secretary John Healey and armed forces minister Al Carns dramatically resigned on Thursday, accusing the prime minister of failing to properly fund the armed forces and keep Britain safe. Sir Keir hit back, insisting defence spending was a priority and that he had taken the “difficult decisions” necessary to keep the country safe. But the White House piled further pressure on Sir Keir with a dramatic invention that highlighted the White House’s concerns. US under-secretary of war Elbridge Colby wrote on X: “The United Kingdom has an extraordinarily proud military history. It commands our respect. “There is again a great need for more British military strength in this critical time. We urge the UK to meet that need with urgency, scale, and determination.” The two resignations – alongside two ministerial aides – over the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan (Dip) arrive at a perilous moment for Sir Keir, whose premiership has looked increasingly fragile since May’s election results and ahead of a key by-election next week. Speaking on Friday after the latest drama, Sir Keir admitted he must “turn things around” to remain prime minister and lead Labour into the next general election. But he insisted defence spending was a priority, saying that he had taken the “difficult decisions” necessary to keep the country safe. He told the BBC: “I don’t think we should plunge the country into the chaos of a leadership election. “I don’t think it should happen, but if it does then I will fight,” he said. “And let me just be clear with you. That’s not about personal vanity, it’s not about stubbornness. It’s out of a very deep sense of duty.” Healey, once one of the prime minister’s key allies, accused Sir Keir in a damning resignation letter of being “unable” to secure adequate funding from his chancellor to fund the government’s defence investment plan (DIP). Military chiefs have called for around £28 billion over four years, while a figure of around £18 billion had been sought by officials in Whitehall. But the Dip promised just £13.5 billion, of which only £10 billion was extra cash, with defence sources claiming the other £3.5 billion was “Treasury trickery”, likely from expected efficiency savings or cuts. Mr Healey complained the extra support was also “backloaded” to later years of the settlement when the need for the money was urgent. Asked about Mr Healey’s criticism, the prime minister said: “We have another spending review coming up and before the end of this Parliament, and defence will be a number one priority in that space.” Downing Street said the Dip was still being finalised. New defence secretary Dan Jarvis met head of the armed forces chief of the defence staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton and Sir Keir for talks on Friday morning. Mr Healey’s dramatic exit heaped further pressure on Sir Keir’s already strained position in No 10, after he was almost ousted following last month’s disastrous local elections. Andy Burnham hopes to return to Westminster in next week’s Makerfield by-election and has made no secret of his Labour leadership ambitions, while former health secretary Wes Streeting will also run in any contest. Asked if he would lead Labour into the next general election, expected in 2029, Sir Keir said: “Well, that’s what I want to do. “I recognise that I’ve got to turn things around. We had a very bad set of elections.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments