UK PM Burnham "vibes won't work" on defence policy - committee chair

Andy Burnham has been told that "vibes are not going to work" on defence policy, as the prime minister defended his plans to fund the armed forces during Prime Minister's Questions.

The chair of the Commons Defence Select Committee, Labour MP Tan Singh Dhesi, warned the government over a reported reversal in plans to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030.

Burnham earlier told Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch there was "no problem" with the party's commitment to defence.

Dhesi said: "The British people should be under no illusion that the nation faces a significantly increased threat level, especially from Russia, but also we have a US leadership for whom European security is no longer a focus or priority, and that is why it is imperative that we invest in our armed forces in the here and now, rather than be sorry later."

To cheers from the Conservative benches, Dhesi added: "Indeed defence is definitely one area where vibes alone just isn't going to be enough.

"So rather than kick the can down the road waiting for a fiscal event in a future year, will the prime minister urgently commit to charting a pathway to reaching 3% of GDP spend on defence by 2030 which, as his chancellor rightly noted, is critical to keeping our country safe."

Burnham replied: "I've made that commitment very clear, and I have done for a considerable period of time. I was in Ukraine last week for a very specific reason, to repeat it on the world stage there.

He added: "I also think that alongside our commitment to defence we also have to build the resilience of Britain, we need to ensure that the maximum amount of that funding committed to the defence investment plan goes back into the reindustrialisation of our communities, that we do more to maintain sovereign manufacturing and production capability here, and this will be a theme of my Government.

"Making sure that British taxpayers' money goes in to supporting industry in our own country to make us more resilient going into the future."

The government's wavering over defence spending contributed to the downfall of Keir Starmer's time in No 10, as John Healey resigned as defence secretary in response to Starmer's plans.

Healey was then appointed chancellor by Burnham, with the expectation that he would deliver the 3% of defence spending by 2030, rising to 3.5% by 2035. But since becoming chancellor under Burnham, reports have suggested Healey could back away from reaching his own 3% target by 2030.

Plans set out in the Defence Investment Plan, Dip, will see defence spending rise to 2.7% of GDP by 2027/28, but there are no firm details on how further increases will be achieved beyond that date.

The Treasury has consistently said the government will set out plans for reaching both 3% and 3.5% at the spending review, due to take place next year.

Burnham told Badenoch at Prime Minister's Questions that he pledged to fully fund the Dip.

She had pressed him to "cut welfare spending and invest that money in our defence".

She continued: "The honeymoon is over. Isn't it time for the prime minister to ditch the vibes and get serious about defending our nation?"

Burnham replied: "The very reason I appointed this Chancellor [Healey] to his position is because of his strong commitment to the defence of our country and to defence spending.

"We will fully fund the Defence Investment Plan and, at the spending review, we will set out a plan to meet our Nato commitment by 2035. There is no problem with our commitment to defence."

By Harry Taylor and Rhiannon James, Press Association Political Staff

Press Association: News

source: PA

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