Andy Burnham will need a Moscow test as well as Makerfield test, says ex-military chief
Andy Burnham will need a “Moscow test” for his policies if he becomes prime minister, former Chief of the Defense Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin has said.
Burnham, Sir Keir Starmer’s favorite to become prime minister, has previously said the new law must pass the “Makerfield test” in the constituency where she was elected this month.
Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, the former army chief said Britain’s next leader should act “almost like a wartime prime minister” in light of global threats.
Sir Tony’s intervention comes as the government prepares to publish its long-awaited defense spending plan.
Whoever becomes prime minister must fulfill his promise to increase defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, he said, describing military capabilities as “grossly inadequate”.
While negotiations in Whitehall on how to finance the Defense Investment Plan (DIP) continue this week, the government has committed to announcing the plan before the NATO summit to be held in Türkiye on July 7.
Defense Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, who did not rule out challenging Burnham to become Labor leader and prime minister, resigned from the government earlier this month over what they said was insufficient investment in the plan.
Speaking to the BBC, Sir Tony said: “As well as the Makerfield test, I would also say this is the Moscow test.
“What do we like about Moscow? Do we look like a strong member of the NATO alliance? Do we look like a strong nuclear power? Do we look like a strong ally of America?
“Because these are the elements that keep us safe.”
Asked what his message would be to Burnham as prime minister, Sir Tony said: “Recognize that you have this extraordinary responsibility to keep our country safe, so you are almost like a wartime prime minister at the moment.
“That means you need to invest in things that will actually keep us safe.”
Sir Tony said the UK’s level of defense spending now “puts it at risk of not being able to meet these commitments and this is causing huge pain for our relationship with our NATO allies and particularly America”.
Speaking about military capabilities, he said: “We have made it clear that we need to strengthen our armed forces. This means additional money for day-to-day operations.
“This is the warehouses. This is the maintenance. This is how you get these ships out. This is how your planes are ready for operations. This is how you have your tanks and armored fighting vehicles.
“This is all so bare right now.”
Defense spending has increased under Sir Keir’s leadership and the government, along with many other NATO allies, has pledged to increase spending to up to 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2035.
However, in his resignation statement, Healey claimed that the increase envisaged in the draft DIP fell well short of what was required and that it would actually lead to operational cuts.
There are reports that the Ministry of Defense has requested an extra £28bn between now and the end of this decade, but only an additional £10bn has been offered.
All government departments were asked to cut budgets to finance the increase.
Healey’s successor, Dan Jarvis, told BBC South that Burnham “understands the nature and complexity of the world we operate in and I know national security will be the first priority of any Labor prime minister.”
He continued: “I’m quite confident that although there will be a transition in the Prime Minister’s Office, the core policies will remain the same, ensuring everything we can to keep the country safe…”.
Jarvis also reiterated the government’s commitment to publishing the DIP before the NATO summit in July.
Watch it with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday at 9am (BST) on BBC One and iPlayer.
