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UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Mulls Delay to Defence-Spending Review
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Proposed Delay to the Defence Spending Review
A report scheduled for Oct 6 in *The Times* says Prime Minister Andy Burnham is weighing whether to postpone the announcement that would set out a timetable for raising defence spending to 3 % of gross domestic product (GDP). The postponement would push the review, originally expected in spring 2027, to the autumn of the following year. A Treasury spokesperson described the notion of a delay as “pure rumour and speculation” and noted that no formal date for the review has been set.
Background and Fiscal Context
The United Kingdom has pledged to meet NATO’s 3 %-of-GDP defence-spending target by 2035 and an interim 3 % goal by 2030. Finance Minister John Healey, who became finance minister in July after resigning as defence minister, is slated to outline an initial path to 3 % at the next spending review. Healey is due to deliver his first budget on Oct 28.
Cost Estimates and Funding Gap
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that reaching the 2030 interim target would require an additional £17.3 billion (approximately S$29.3 billion). The Institute for Fiscal Studies puts the annual cost of achieving the 3 % NATO target at roughly £10 billion per year. To fund the existing Defence Investment Plan, Healey must close a £4.7 billion gap, which analysts say would likely need to be covered by either higher taxes or cuts to other public services.
Official Responses
A Treasury spokesperson reiterated that the spending-review date remains unset and dismissed speculation about a delay. Meanwhile, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the perceived postponement, calling it “completely crazy” and arguing that the current fiscal plan would force cuts in other departments if defence spending were raised to 3 % of GDP.
Implications for UK Security
The potential delay comes amid heightened security concerns, highlighted by the United States’ removal of bombers from an English airbase on Oct 4 after a suspected Iranian plot. Delaying the review could affect the UK’s ability to meet NATO commitments and may intensify political debate over defence funding versus broader fiscal priorities.