# Burnham’s first PMQs live: New PM faces Badenoch for first time as cost of UK borrowing rises – watch live

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/burnhams-first-pmqs-live-new-pm-faces-badenoch-for-first-time-as-cost-of-uk-borrowing-rises-watch-live/
- Published: 2026-09-02T14:37:31+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-02T21:23:22+00:00
- Original publisher: The Independent (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-burnham-pmqs-live-updates-pensions-uk-badenoch-farage-b3043362.html
- Topics: Government, Politics, UK, World

## Key points

- Burnham faced Badenoch for first time at PMQs as new PM
- Pressed on committing to 3% GDP defence spending by 2030
- Putin issued fresh threat as UK borrowing rose by £12bn

## Summary

Andy Burnham faced his first Prime Minister's Questions as prime minister, coming under pressure from senior Labour backbencher Tan Dhesi to commit clearly to raising defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, with Dhesi warning that "vibes alone" would not be enough to deter Vladimir Putin. The exchange took place just hours after the Russian president issued a fresh veiled threat against UK targets over Britain's support for Ukraine, underlining the heightened security stakes behind the debate, while Burnham also clashed with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch over the state of the public finances.

Burnham told MPs he had "made that commitment very clear" on defence spending and stressed the need to tie military investment to rebuilding Britain's industrial resilience, though Downing Street later clarified this fell short of a firm pledge. The session also covered rising UK borrowing, which increased by £12billion after gilt markets pushed up the cost of government debt, with Badenoch pressing Burnham on the government's fiscal record. Burnham defended his appointment of John Healey as chancellor, citing his commitment to defence, following Healey's earlier resignation from Sir Keir Starmer's government over defence funding shortfalls.

## Coverage

- [The Independent: Burnham’s first PMQs live: New PM faces Badenoch for first time as cost of UK borrowing rises – watch live](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-burnham-pmqs-live-updates-pensions-uk-badenoch-farage-b3043362.html)
- [Daily Mail: Kemi Badenoch roasts 'spendthrift people-pleaser' Burnham over refusal to curb benefits at first PMQs - as he faces mounting markets crisis](https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16098783/Kemi-Badenoch-roasts-spendthrift-people-pleaser-Burnham-refusal-curb-benefits-PMQs-faces-mounting-markets-crisis.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490)
- [The Guardian: Andy Burnham clashes with Kemi Badenoch at his first PMQs - video](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2026/sep/02/andy-burnham-clashes-with-kemi-badenoch-at-his-first-pmqs-video)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.