This prompted Mr Healey to leave his post, warning that the plan “falls well short of what is required for defence”. He was followed out of the door by Mr Carns, who accused the Prime Minister and Chancellor of “failing” the military.
On Tuesday, the former head of the Civil Service suggested it may be unwise for Sir Keir to press ahead with the DIP before leaving office.
Lord Case, who served as Cabinet secretary under four prime ministers from 2020 to 2024, suggested the Prime Minister would be “wasting his breath” to bring forward proposals that Mr Burnham might then seek to reverse straight away.
Starmer’s plan ‘a waste of breath’
He told The Telegraph: “Constitutionally speaking, he remains PM with full powers until he goes to see the King to resign, so he can formally do this. Whether it is wise, administratively or politically, is a different matter.
“If Starmer announced something that Burnham or other candidates immediately rubbished, it would be a waste of breath as no one would take it seriously, either domestically or internationally.”
Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, who served as the head of the Army between 2022 and 2024, told The Telegraph: “Whether the defence investment plan is published by Sir Keir Starmer or under his successor, who I presume is Andy Burnham, it has to answer the question that was set by the strategic defence review. It has to meet our alliance obligations. If you are serious about contributing to Nato in a way that we’ve always historically done, then you need to demonstrate the same commitment.”
Speaking at Treasury questions in the Commons, Ms Reeves said that the DIP would “meet the scale of the challenges and the moment”.
“I am confident that the new DIP will be published before the Nato Ankara summit,” she told MPs.
Mr Burnham could enter No 10 as soon as July 17 under a Labour leadership timetable that will reportedly conclude on that date, regardless of whether there is another candidate.