Al Carns resigns as the United Kingdom’s Armed Forces Minister just hours after Defence Secretary John Healey quits the government, deepening a dispute over Labour’s defence spending plans. Multiple outlets report that Carns follows Healey out of the door, with the departures described as another blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s authority amid an ongoing row about the defence investment programme (often referred to as DIP). Several sources say Carns resigns in protest of what he presents as underfunded and outdated defence arrangements, arguing that ministers are not spending enough and are directing resources toward the wrong priorities. Reports also state that Carns sends a resignation letter to Starmer, with one outlet publishing details of its contents and others summarising his message. Coverage notes the timing of the resignations, occurring soon after Healey’s exit, and mentions that additional government staff and parliamentary aides also leave alongside Healey. While some reporting frames Carns as a potential leadership contender for Labour, other sources focus on the immediate impact of the resignations on the government’s defence plans and parliamentary stability. All accounts agree on the sequence: Healey resigns first, then Carns later that day.