Andy Burnham says he won’t cut ‘social security’ to boost defence as he refuses to give timetable for spending 3% of GDP on military

Andy Burnham insisted he will not cut ‘social security’ to boost defence today as he clashed with Kemi Badenoch.

Braving his second PMQs, Mr Burnham dodged giving a timetable for spending 3 per cent of GDP on the military – despite suggesting last week the level will be reached by 2030.

Pressed by the Tory leader on where he would find the extra money, Mr Burnham criticised the Opposition’s suggestion of trimming housing benefit.

He said bolstering the country’s defences ‘cannot come at the expense of social security’.

Mr Burnham argued that the Government would not be ‘forced to choose between the two’. 

Last week Mr Burnham blundered by giving a 2030 deadline for spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence, something the Treasury had been careful to avoid. 

Hours later No10 made clear that the position on the target was ‘unchanged’ from the previous refusal to say one way or another. 

Chancellor John Healey has said a path will not be set out at the Budget next month, instead waiting until next year’s spending review. 

Mr Healey resigned as Keir Starmer’s defence secretary partly in protest at the refusal to lay out a schedule for reaching 3 per cent, and then the Nato target of 3.5 per cent by 2035. 

Plans set out in the Defence Investment Plan (Dip) will see spending rise to 2.7 per cent of GDP by 2027-28.

Even senior Labour MPs have warned Mr Burnham that ‘vibes’ will not be enough to shore up the country’s military.