Burnham Vows Billions for British Defence Firms to Rebuild UK Power

Andy Burnham, who is set to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, outlined his vision to channel future defence procurement away from European and American contractors in favor of British companies, according to Alice Tomlinson writing in GB News.

In what marks his first major foreign policy statement, the Makerfield MP emphasized the need for transparency with the British public regarding the substantial financial commitments required to meet the United Kingdom’s NATO pledge of spending 3.5 percent of GDP on defence by 2035.

Burnham has committed to directing the additional defence expenditure toward what he described as regenerating and reindustrializing Britain, with a focus on creating jobs and supporting the domestic workforce. He argued that reducing foreign dependence in defence procurement represents a matter of both economic and national security.

The Prime Minister-in-waiting stressed that strengthening British manufacturing in the defence sector would constitute a central pillar of his upcoming administration’s agenda.

Despite his pledge to reduce reliance on foreign defence suppliers, Burnham indicated he would pursue closer security cooperation with European partners. He also outlined plans to accelerate negotiations with the European Union on matters including illegal migration and economic growth.

The incoming Prime Minister reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to international law and institutions such as the United Nations under his leadership.

Burnham’s policy announcement comes as Starmer attended the NATO summit in Ankara, where world leaders gathered for two days of discussions. The summit was dominated by Donald Trump’s declaration that the United States would strike Iran again following the collapse of a ceasefire, with American forces conducting renewed attacks on Iranian targets Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

With information from GB News