British Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham has pledged to strengthen the country’s armed forces and defense industry, claiming that the increasingly volatile global security environment requires a renewed focus on “hard power” and greater self-reliance in military production.He is expected to succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister on July 20 after becoming the sole candidate in the Labor leadership race, and Burnham said defense investment should also act as a driver to remanufacture struggling parts in Britain rather than relying heavily on imported military equipment.
Hard power in a changing world
Write in The timesBurnham said the British armed forces needed to modernize for a new era characterized by rising geopolitical tensions.“It is right that we rebuild our hard power for a new era that is far different from the era in which most of our current military equipment was first designed,” he wrote.Burnham pointed to recent global developments – including the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, and last year’s cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover, which he said cost the UK economy nearly £2 billion – as evidence that Britain must bolster its defense capabilities.
He also called for more transparency in defense spending and less reliance on foreign suppliers, saying a stronger domestic defense industry is “crucial” to national and economic security.
The defense spending push is accelerating
Burnham’s comments come as new UK Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis publicly asked the incoming prime minister to significantly increase military spending and set a clear roadmap towards NATO’s goal of allocating 3.5 percent of GDP to defence.Speaking ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Jarvis said the upcoming spending review should “prove the course” towards the alliance standard, a move that would add nearly £25bn a year to the UK defense budget by the middle of the next decade.“The world is more dangerous and more complex than at any time in my lifetime,” said Jarvis, a former paratrooper, highlighting growing threats ranging from Russian military activity to cyber warfare.Jarvis said he had already begun discussions with Burnham and his team on defense priorities, including the government’s recently unveiled £298bn, four-year defense investment plan.“I have known Andy for a very long time and I have no doubt that as Prime Minister he will make sure we have the resources we need at a challenging stage,” he said.
Strengthening relations with Europe and continuing security
Although Burnham has limited foreign policy experience, having spent nearly a decade as Mayor of Greater Manchester before returning to Parliament, he has outlined plans to strengthen defense and security cooperation with European partners, especially France and Germany.He also pledged to speed up negotiations with the European Union on issues such as tackling illegal immigration and confirmed that Jonathan Powell would continue in his role as national security adviser, signaling continuity for the British security establishment.Britain is also preparing for one of its most significant overseas military deployments in recent years to help protect the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with France if a lasting peace agreement is reached between the US and Iran.Jarvis is expected to use the NATO summit to reassure US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Britain remains committed to meeting the alliance’s defense spending commitments.
