UK PM Burnham refuses to commit to spending 3% on defence by 2030
(Alliance News) - Prime Minister Andy Burnham has refused to commit to the UK raising its defence spending to reach 3% of gross domestic product on defence by 2030.
Under his predecessor Keir Starmer, the government committed to spending 3.5% by 2035, and expressed an "ambition" to reach 3% in the next Parliament.
When John Healey, who is now chancellor, quit as Starmer's defence secretary he said he was "certain" that Britain should ramp up its spending to 3% by the year 2030.
But he warned the actual commitment under the defence investment plan would fall short of this, only rising to 2.68% by the end of the decade.
He also expressed frustration at the time that there was no clear timetable to reach 3%.
When Burnham was asked at a press conference in North London on Wednesday whether he would make the commitment, he pointed instead to the later target of 3.5% on core defence that the Nato military alliance has tasked all members with spending by 2035 in preparation for the growing threat from Russia.
He said: "When it comes to defence, obviously those commitments … relate to the Parliament after this one.
"In terms of our Nato commitments, I have been very clear that we will honour those commitments.
"It does mean being prepared to look at challenging issues."
He suggested that other policy changes would clear a path to meeting defence spending targets further down the line, saying: "We're paying for failure, and we're paying quite a lot actually for failure".
He referred to the cost to the NHS of failing to fund social care "at the front end" and his plans to tackle the number of young people out of work and training.
"We've got to start investing in success and helping people succeed, rather than paying for failure.
"And if we change those things, then we will open up the way of meeting our commitments on defence," he said.
By Helen Corbett, Press Association Political Correspondent
source: PA
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