London, United Kingdom. Andy Burnham, expected to become Britain’s next prime minister on July 20, has pledged to strengthen the country’s armed forces and defence industry, saying a more dangerous world requires a renewed focus on hard power.
Defence and industry focus
Burnham said investment in defence should help reindustrialise struggling parts of Britain rather than leave the country reliant on equipment bought from other nations.
In an article published in The Times, he wrote that Britain should rebuild its hard power for a new era that differs from the period in which much of its current military equipment was first designed.
Security concerns cited
Burnham said recent events had underlined the need for Britain to strengthen its defence capabilities, including the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, Russia’s war against Ukraine and last year’s cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover, which he said cost the economy nearly £2 billion ($2.68 billion).
He said Britain should be more open about how and where defence funding is spent and should reduce its reliance on foreign suppliers, describing that shift as critical for both economic and national security.
Foreign policy and European ties
Burnham’s foreign policy positions are relatively unknown. Before returning to parliament last month, he spent almost a decade as mayor of Greater Manchester and has not previously held a foreign affairs or defence post in government.
In the newspaper article, he pledged to build closer defence and security ties with European countries, particularly France and Germany, and said he would speed up negotiations with the European Union on issues including illegal migration.
Leadership contest
Burnham also confirmed that Jonathan Powell, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s national security adviser, will remain in his role.
Nominations to choose the next leader of the governing Labour Party and Britain’s prime minister open on Thursday, with no other candidate expected to challenge Burnham.