Andy Burnham says “work across the floor” for a fully funded defence path to 3.5% of GDP by 2035

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch clashed over defence financing. Badenoch pressed Burnham on whether the government would reach 3% of GDP for defence by 2030, citing serious security risks. The Conservatives have proposed raising £4bn from housing benefit and £3.1bn by reinstating the two-child benefit cap. Burnham rejected that approach, warning that removing so much housing support could drive widespread family homelessness and arguing that strong defence should not require weakening the welfare state. He said a plan for reaching NATO’s 3.5%-of-GDP defence goal by 2035 would be produced in the spending review, and he called for cooperation with the opposition to put that target on dependable financial footing.