Keir Starmer plans to rip the carpet from under Burnham’s feet | UK | News
Burnham expected to replace Starmer as Prime Minister (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to go ahead with publishing the Defense Investment Plan (Dip) despite opposition from Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Burnham, who is expected to replace Starmer following his resignation, is understood to be keen for the broadcast to be delayed to allow him to evaluate and correct it.
Downing Street confirmed there would be no “significant” new policy decisions or spending commitments made in the coming weeks, adding that Sir Keir would agree priorities with Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo in the coming days. But Dip, which has been delayed for months due to infighting within the Government over funding, is a loose end that he plans to complete before leaving office.
John Healey resigns as Defense Secretary over Dip (Image: Getty)
Plans to release the document before the NATO summit on July 7 have the potential to cause friction afterwards. Times Mr Burnham’s allies have said they believe the decision should be left to the next leader.
An ally of former defense secretary John Healey, who resigned over the Dip earlier this month, also warned against publishing a “half-baked” plan before a new prime minister is appointed.
“We know that this Dip deal has fallen well short and a new Prime Minister would still have to meet the same requirements. So there is a strong argument against issuing a half-baked Dip now,” they said.
Shadow Defense Secretary James Cartlidge expressed concern that the chaos engulfing the government following the Prime Minister’s resignation would lead to the publication of the plan being delayed once again.
In a note of advice to Starmer’s potential successor, Cartilage called on Burnham to increase defense spending if she joins Downing Street in the coming weeks.
He told the House of Commons: “Assuming (Burnham) becomes Prime Minister in the coming weeks, he will have many items on his tray.
“But the first duty of any Government is the defense of the realm.
“So when Labour’s Secretary of State for Defense resigned a few days ago, saying Labour’s Defense Investment Plan would make the country ‘less safe’, it should be clear that this is the most important issue for the new Prime Minister’s attention.
“If the new Prime Minister is to be successful, the amount of cash on the table will need to be much more significant given the threats we face.”
Cabinet Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds denied on Tuesday that Starmer’s government was a “zombie government” and said The Dip would continue to air over the next few weeks.
He told Radio 4’s Today programme: “This is not a delay because this is something the country has always planned to do for the NATO summit in Türkiye at the beginning of July. That is the situation. It is not changing. The work continues.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves told MPs: “I am confident the Dip will be published before the NATO summit. It will contain more money, be spent more effectively and meet the scale of the challenges our country faces.”
