STORY
Andy Burnham is expected to inherit a significant defence funding challenge if, as expected, he becomes Prime Minister later this month.
It is reported that Keir Starmer’s defence investment plan includes a £4.7 billion gap which will need to be addressed through future tax decisions, spending cuts or other budget choices. The plan committed an additional £15 billion for defence, but documents showed that around a third of the funding was still to be found.
The issue is likely to become an early test for Burnham, who has not yet set out his own detailed position on the plan. Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said he had confidence that Burnham would secure the investment needed for national security.