The switch is a South Yorkshire swap

Barnsley North MP Dan Jarvis has been appointed John Healey’s successor as Defence Secretary in a South Yorkshire swap.

Mr Healey, also MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough, stepped down yesterday (June 11) in a row over Armed Forces funding.

He quit claiming Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had been “unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling”, to provide adequate funding for the defence investment plan

In a damning letter, the MP said the Prime Minister’s proposal “could make the country less safe.”

Fellow South Yorkshire MP Mr Jarvis, a former Parachute Regiment officer who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, was appointed Mr Healey’s successor late on Thursday.

He was first elected for Barnsley North in 2011 and was also the first South Yorkshire Mayor between 2018 and 2022.

Mr Jarvis was awarded an MBE for his military service, when he serves as a platoon commander with the 3rd Parachute Battalion.

In a statement after the appointment, Sir Keir said: “My first duty is to keep the British people safe, and I will always do what is necessary to protect our national security.

“I am pleased to appoint Dan Jarvis as Defence Secretary as we strengthen our armed forces and meet the growing threats facing our country.

“This Labour Government is delivering the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

“In a dangerous and volatile world, we will give our armed forces the capabilities they need to defend Britain and keep our nation secure.”

The Dip, a blueprint for investing more in the military over a sustained period, was originally called for by the strategic defence review almost exactly a year ago and has been long delayed by wrangling over funding.

Responding to Mr Healey’s resignation in his own letter, Sir Keir said he agreed that the Government has to “go further” on increasing defence funding.

But he insisted the Dip “will provide the resources our military needs to keep us safe and the clarity the British defence industry needs to plan.”