WELFARE spending could be cut to increase defence funding, it has been suggested after two senior Labour ministers quit their roles.
Last week, John Healey quit his role as defence secretary suggesting the Prime Minister was "unable" to fund the UK military, adding in a broadside that the Treasury appeared "unwilling" to do so.
Al Carns also resigned as armed forces minister over the long-delayed defence investment plan (Dip) on Thursday. The Dip has not yet been published.
Carns said on Sunday that the UK Government should reduce the welfare bill to increase military spending, a view rejected by one of his colleagues north of the Border.
"I think there's an element within welfare" that could be changed to decrease spending, he told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.
He suggested there needs to be an "overall perception across welfare of handouts", arguing that the UK Government should be giving "hand ups rather than hand outs."
Carns also spoke about potential savings from the UK's "energy policy", while also saying that the UK needs to find ways to promote the growth of domestic defence industry and investment.
Graeme Downie, Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, disputed Carns's suggestion that welfare spending should take the hit for increased military spending.
He told the BBC Scotland Sunday Show: "We're going to have a conversation about different budgets and how we fund defence."
Downie named the triple lock, which secures the value of pensions by increasing pay-outs by the highest of either 2.5%, inflation, or the growth in average earnings, saying: "I think on the welfare side... what I've said very clearly is that we will not strengthen the country by putting more people into poverty.
"I have said that if we're going to have a conversation about different budgets and how we fund defence, that the triple lock should be part of that conversation to make sure that we've got a balance between supporting pensions into poverty, which we absolutely must do, as well as making sure we're protecting our nation."
It comes as Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said ministers are looking at further cutting their departments’ budgets to help fund defence.
Nandy said “discussions are ongoing” to find more money to increase the amount offered in the version of the Dip Healey and Carns quit over.
She said she did not believe Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis “would have taken the job were he not confident that we could meet the moment”, she told Sky News.
“There’s a clear picture emerging from this Government that we have moved resources from other departments in order to fund defence, that includes mine and it includes other departments as well, and we’re continuing to do that.
“So defence remains the highest priority, and I don’t agree that we’re not committing the resources that we need.
“But when the threat level changes, when the global situation changes, we have to change our approach as well.”
Nandy said she was looking at areas in her own department where funding could be slashed and that she had spoken to Starmer about the issue on Friday.
She told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “These conversations are not finished. The negotiation is happening as we speak.”
James Cartlidge, the Conservative's shadow defence secretary also appeared on Kuenssberg, saying "welfare would have to be a big part of it", saying the restoration of a two-child benefit cap would be how the party would find some of the savings.
Also appearing on the show, ITV broadcaster Richard Madeley also claimed Keir Starmer has not "been allowed" to make the cuts that would "allow" him to increase defence spending, referencing backbench rebellions from the left wing of the party against welfare cuts.
The timing of the resignations of Healey and Carns, along with two ministerial aides, came at a moment of peril for Starmer, whose premiership has looked precarious since May’s election results across England, Wales and Scotland.
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.
Carns has signalled he would take part in any leadership contest.
Burnham has already said he would not be “squeamish” about reducing the welfare bill to fund defence spending.
