Former defence minister Al Carns, who last month quit his job over defence cash, says he has declined an offer to return to government because the funding has “not yet been settled”.
He posted on social media: “I had a good conversation with the chief whip today where she offered me a return to government. After careful thought, I declined, with respect and with thanks.
“I resigned in June because I did not believe the defence funding on the table was adequate for the threats this country faces.
“I said so publicly and I still stand by every word.”
He resigned last month hours after then-defence secretary John Healey did so, accusing then-prime minister Sir Keir Starmer of being “unwilling to commit the resources” needed to keep Britain safe in the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan.
But new prime minister Andy Burnham has so far failed to commit to his chancellor Mr Healey’s demands for defence spending to increase to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, signalling a fresh potential row over the issue.
Mr Carns, who said when he quit that the government was “failing Britain’s armed forces”, was seen as a potential rival to Mr Burnham as Labour leader.
In the event, he did not run, after it became clear Mr Burnham had enough backers that no one could win against him.
Two former Tory defence secretaries have backed using defence bonds to boost spending on the military and security, an idea that The Independent understands Mr Healey is considering now that he is chancellor.
Mr Carns went on: “I’ve always said I would serve where I am asked. In normal circumstances, that is exactly what I would do, but the argument I resigned over has not yet been settled. To take another role now, in another department, would suggest that it has.”
He said until the country was spending what it needed to spend on defence, he would keep making that case from the backbenches.
“The appointment of John Healey as chancellor changes the picture in one important respect,” he added.
“John resigned for the same reasons I did. He is a man of his word and he has made it clear that he will deliver on the commitments that led him to leave government in the first place.”
New defence secretary Wes Streeting has welcomed new British-made “loyal wingmen” drones, in what he called a “groundbreaking moment for UK defence”.
