Andy Burnham has been challenged over how he will pay for a major increase in UK defence spending as he faced his first Prime Minister’s Questions in parliament amid warnings that security threats are increasing.
Britain's new Prime Minister has tried to create a more upbeat tone than his predecessor Keir Starmer since entering No 10 Downing Street.
Despite his easy and engaging manner at the dispatch box, it was clear that the intense pressures of government are already gathering for Mr Burnham over higher defence spending, taxes and welfare reform.
He was told that “vibes alone will not be enough” on defence and was urged by defence committee chairman Tan Dhesi to commit to spending 3 per cent of gross domestic product on the armed forces by 2030.
“The British people should be under no illusion that the nation faces a significantly increased threat level, especially from Russia,” Mr Dhesi said. “That is why it is imperative we invest in our armed forces in the here and now, rather than be sorry later. Defence is definitely one area where vibes alone just isn’t going to be enough.”
He asked Mr Burnham whether he would “urgently commit” to the increase “rather than kick the can down the road”.
The Prime Minister replied that he had “made that commitment”, appearing to refer to his broader one on increased defence spending and support for Ukraine. He also defended his decision to appoint former defence secretary John Healey as Chancellor, saying it was “precisely because of his commitment to defence”.
He highlighted Germany’s recent conclusion that Russia was responsible for last month’s attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Berlin has described it as part of a wider pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen vowed on Wednesday to crank up the pressure on Russia, including by imposing new sanctions, saying the attack showed Moscow's rising “recklessness”.
The argument over UK defence expenditure has been sharpened by a new report from the Resolution Foundation, which said Labour could not substantially increase defence spending without asking middle earners to contribute more in tax. It estimated that meeting the government’s pledge of 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035 would require about £28 billion ($37.7 billion) extra a year.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch repeatedly pressed Mr Burnham on whether he would cut welfare spending to free up money for defence and whether he would raise taxes again. He refused to make a commitment, telling her: “I’m not going to write the budget here.”
Migration
Mr Burnham also spoke of the Anglo-French co-operation leading to success in preventing small boats from carrying migrants across the Channel illegally, the number of which has reached a seven-year low. He then spoke of his first major diplomatic engagement as Prime Minister in meeting Emmanuel Macron in London.
The French President is visiting for talks on the impact of the Iran war on the Strait of Hormuz, as well as migration and Ukraine. He was due to join Mr Burnham and King Charles III on Wednesday to see the Bayeux Tapestry on display at the British Museum, the first time the depiction of the Battle of Hastings has arrived on British shores.
