Burnham weighs delaying defence spending plan amid NATO pressure

The UK prime minister Andy Burnham weighs delaying the announcement of roadmap that will spell out Britain’s plan to raise defence spending in the midst of NATO pressure to raise the spending.

As reported by the Times, in this roadmap Burnham planned to announce how and when the UK will raise defence spending to 3 percent of GDP.

As per the report, Burnham is expected to delay the spending review until late next year to coincide with the budget, though Treasury sources insist no official date has been set.

The government faces pressure to clarify how and when it will meet targets to spend 3 percent of GDP on defence by 2030 and 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035.

While Defence Secretary Wes Streeting stated the UK will reach 2.7 percent by next year, up from 2.3 percent when Labour took office.

Finance minister John Healey planned earlier this year to outline an initial path to 3 percent of GDP at the next spending review, expected in spring 2027. But he resigned after the previous government refused to meet this goal.

A spokesperson for the ​finance ministry said it was wrong to talk of a delay, "The date ​of the Spending Review has not been set. This is pure rumour and speculation.”

The reports come as Britain is facing scrutiny over the UK’s military preparedness following the US decision to withdraw its bomber jets from RAF Fairford due to threat reports as cited by Trump. NATO is also sounding warnings that Russia could strike an alliance member by the end of the decade.