Andy Burnham has been criticised by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and others for failing to respond publicly after Argentina escalated its rhetoric over the Falkland Islands to its highest level since the 1982 conflict. In a televised address, Argentine president Javier Milei said his country needed to "act swiftly" to release the islands from "British occupation," describing their recovery as a fitting tribute to those killed in the war, while also threatening sanctions on British oil drilling near the islands and a new naval base nearby.

Badenoch accused Burnham of being a "people pleaser" unwilling to act in the national interest, linking the episode to what she called the "madness" of surrendering the Chagos Islands, while Reform UK's Robert Jenrick said Argentina had concluded Burnham and Wes Streeting were too weak to defend the territory. Former prime minister Boris Johnson urged Burnham to send military reinforcements and firmly restate British sovereignty, while also condemning ex-Foreign Office chief Lord Simon McDonald for suggesting negotiation with Argentina, given the islands reportedly cost UK taxpayers around £500 million a year. The row comes amid pressure on Burnham to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030, and after Donald Trump cast doubt on US support for Britain in any Falklands conflict.