Andy Burnham has been warned that “vibes are not going to work” on defence policy, as he defended his plans for funding the armed forces at Prime Minister’s Questions.
Labour MP Tan Singh Dhesi, who chairs the Commons Defence Select Committee, cautioned the Government over reported moves to drop a commitment to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030.
Earlier, Mr Burnham informed Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch that there was “no problem” regarding the party’s defence stance.
Mr Dhesi warned: “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 Tory MPs, Mr 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.”
Mr 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.”
Government hesitation over defence spending contributed to the end of Sir Keir Starmer’s time in No 10, following John Healey’s resignation as defence secretary over Sir Keir’s plans.
Mr Healey was subsequently named Chancellor by Mr Burnham, expected to deliver 3% defence spending by 2030 and 3.5% by 2035. But reports now suggest Mr Healey may back away from his 2030 goal.
Proposals in the Defence Investment Plan (Dip) will increase defence spending to 2.7% of GDP by 2027/28, but lack detail on further rises.
The Treasury maintains that plans to reach 3% and 3.5% will be outlined at next year’s spending review.
Mr Burnham assured Mrs Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions that he would fully fund the Dip.
She urged him to “cut welfare spending and invest that money in our defence”.
She added: “The honeymoon is over. Isn’t it time for the Prime Minister to ditch the vibes and get serious about defending our nation?”
Mr Burnham responded: “The very reason I appointed this Chancellor (Mr 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.”
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