Burnham will NOT commit to 3% defence timetable: Plans to meet target will be under wraps until spending review in 2027
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to commit to a timetable for reaching the target of spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence, refusing to give a firm date when pressed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch in the Commons. He said his Chancellor, John Healey, would set out the path to the target at next year's spending review, though Healey's own reluctance to name a date has fuelled concerns he may be softening the pledge that triggered his resignation as defence secretary and helped bring down Sir Keir Starmer's premiership.
Healey has indicated the spending review, expected in spring 2027, will set out how the UK reaches the Nato commitment of 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2035 and will include a target date for hitting 3 per cent along the way. He has warned that a £5 billion funding shortfall will force "difficult decisions" at next month's Budget, while the Office for Budget Responsibility estimates hitting 3 per cent by 2030 would cost an extra £17.3 billion. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting also stopped short of committing to a timetable, and shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge accused Healey of "backtracking" on the pledge that ended Starmer's time in No 10.
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In short
- Burnham won't set a date for 3% defence spending target
- Healey to reveal plan at 2027 spending review, not now
- £5bn funding gap and £17.3bn cost fuel timetable doubts
How this story developed
- 2 months ago Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to commit to a timetable for reaching the target of spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence, refusing to give a firm date when pressed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch in the Commons.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Defence spending is a long-term commitment that must be balanced against public services, borrowing and other priorities, so ministers may reasonably want the spending review to assess costs and set a credible path before naming a date. With a reported funding gap and substantial additional costs, committing prematurely could create expectations the government cannot responsibly meet.
The case against
A clear timetable would make the pledge measurable and help the armed forces and defence industry plan for the capabilities the country says it needs. Delaying the date until 2027, after ministers have made a prominent commitment to higher spending, risks weakening confidence that the target will be delivered and leaves Parliament and the public with less opportunity to hold the government to account.
Explained simply
Nato is a military alliance whose members agree to support one another if attacked. The UK has committed to spend 3.5 per cent of its national income on defence by 2035, with a 3 per cent milestone expected before then. Defence spending covers the armed forces and the equipment and support they need.
The prime minister, Andy Burnham, and Chancellor John Healey say a spending review expected in spring 2027 will explain how the government plans to reach the targets. The review will weigh those plans against other demands on public money; Healey has warned of a defence funding gap, and the budget watchdog has estimated that reaching 3 per cent by 2030 would require billions more. The timing matters because it will show how the government intends to meet its Nato commitment and when.
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