Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has issued a strong warning to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, asserting that national security must be paramount and that other government spending is "valueless" if the country faces destruction. Streeting's remarks directly challenge Burnham's position, articulated at Prime Minister's Questions, that national security cannot come at the expense of social security.
Streeting argued that while "schools, hospitals, homes" are important, they are meaningless if reduced to "rubble," drawing a parallel to the experience of Ukraine. He emphasized the need to "commit and continue to commit to increase defence spending," irrespective of the cost.
Prime Minister Burnham's earlier statement at PMQs sparked significant political debate among MPs. In response, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch wrote that the Prime Minister had "said the quiet part out loud," asserting that for Burnham, "social security – welfare – comes above national security." She added that "the first duty of government is defence of the country, not paying more benefits."
This is not the first time Streeting and Burnham have publicly diverged on defence spending. In June, Streeting stated, "There is no social justice without national security." The issue of defence spending is emerging as a key dividing line within the Labour Party and the broader British political landscape, particularly concerning the targets for defence expenditure as a percentage of GDP.
Discussion continues regarding the United Kingdom's commitment to defence spending. The former defence secretary John Healey had previously called for the government to reach 3% of GDP on defence by 2030. However, upon his appointment as Chancellor the following month, he reportedly shelved this commitment as part of his first Budget. Current projections indicate that UK defence spending is expected to remain at 2.7% in 2030.
Internationally, Germany aims to reach 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2030, aligning with NATO targets, while Poland already spends 4.7%. Amidst these debates, the Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force have been instructed to find £3 billion in "efficiencies" within the current financial year. These measures have reportedly led to the cancellation of crucial military exercises, grounding of aircraft, and ships remaining docked. The Army faces the largest share of these cuts, with its running costs budget reduced by £1.2 billion, while the Navy and RAF must collectively save £1.8 billion.
Streeting acknowledged that "training continues" but that some "re-prioritisations" have occurred to maximize impact. He also admitted a shortfall of "just shy of £5 billion" in the government's £298 billion Defence Investment Plan for 2026-2030, while emphasizing the need to make a case for increased defence investment and spending, and to operate within the allocated means.