Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reaffirmed his commitment to increasing defense spending to 3% of the UK's Gross Domestic Product by 2030. The statement, made during a grilling in the House of Commons, appeared to go further than the government's previously stated position, which had avoided setting a specific deadline.
Labour MP Tan Singh Dhesi, chairman of the Defence Select Committee, had voiced concerns that the administration might be deviating from the goal, warning that "vibes" are insufficient for national security. He urged the Prime Minister to commit to a clear pathway to reach the 3% target by 2030, emphasizing its importance for the country's safety.
Burnham responded by stating his commitment had been clear for a significant period and reiterated it during a recent visit to Ukraine. He also confirmed that the government would fully fund the Defence Investment Plan (Dip), which projects spending to rise to 2.7% of GDP by 2027-28.
Earlier, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch had pressed the Prime Minister to consider cutting welfare spending to reinvest in defense. Burnham indicated that the government's approach to defense spending, including its commitment to meet NATO targets, remained firm.
Chancellor John Healey stated that a detailed plan for achieving the 3% GDP defense spending target would not be outlined at the upcoming Budget but would be addressed in the following year's spending review. This approach differs from the previous defense secretary's stance, who reportedly resigned partly due to the lack of a clear schedule for increasing defense expenditure. The government has committed to setting out a plan to meet NATO commitments by 2035 during the spending review.