Nato chief says he is confident Burnham will stick to defence spending target

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg voiced confidence that Andy Burnham, widely anticipated to become the UK's next prime minister, will uphold the alliance's defense spending targets. Stoltenberg suggested that Burnham, like previous Labour leaders, would recognize the strategic and economic benefits of increased defense investment.

During a visit to London, Stoltenberg acknowledged that the UK might not reach the 3.5% of GDP defense spending target by 2035 in a single step. However, he emphasized the broader value of boosting the UK's defense budget by nearly £30 billion annually. He noted that defense spending not only ensures national security but also stimulates economic growth and creates jobs, a point he believes a future prime minister would find compelling.

The UK's forthcoming defense investment plan, a 10-year strategy involving over £300 billion in projects, is nearing publication. Despite initial wrangling over a funding shortfall, it is believed to have narrowed to less than £4 billion. This comes after recent efforts, including an additional £1 billion secured by the new defense secretary, Dan Jarvis.

Stoltenberg's remarks align with comments made by Burnham in Manchester, where he criticized the UK's public procurement policy for prioritizing low-cost deals. Burnham advocated for a future approach where taxpayer pounds work harder, a principle he intends to apply to the defense investment plan. The discussions occurred ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

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Defence spending does two things at the same time. One, your first priority as a government, keep the country safe, obviously number one. But also second [is the] impact of your defence investments. Next to keeping the country safe and strong, is [the fact] it will create jobs.