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Defence Crisis After John Healey, Al Carns Quit as Ministers

June 12, 2026 · 21 min

Show notes

In a major blow for Keir Starmer's defence funding plans, Secretary of State for Defence John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns resigned yesterday in protest over Treasury's refusal to sign off the requested budget to fully fund the country's defence. It has put renewed pressure on the Prime Minister, who insisted today that the country's defence remains his top priority.


To discuss, Ian Collins is joined by Bob Seely, former Conservative MP and military expert, who discusses how Labour’s priorities are not those of much of Britain, and how Starmer hasn’t got the power to overrule Rachel Reeves.


And Kevin O'Sullivan is joined by former Head of MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, to discuss how the Government has chosen welfare over safety of the nation, what sort of defence budget we should be aiming, the growing threat to our security, and the desperate state of our defences.

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