Russia, China and Iran will have concluded that Andy Burnham is “flawed and weak” on defence following his first Prime Minister’s Questions, Mark Francois has said.
Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Defence Minister warned that Britain’s adversaries would welcome a continued lack of commitment to spending three per cent of GDP on the armed forces by 2030.
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Speculation over whether Labour will meet the defence target has intensified after it emerged that John Healey plans to delay the spend in his upcoming budget.
The Chancellor, who resigned as Keir Starmer’s Defence Secretary in protest over a lack of funding, is said to be shelving an increase until next year’s spending review.
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However, Mr Burnham refused to confirm at PMQs that the 2030 target would be included in the spending review.
Mr Francois said the Prime Minister’s performance would have come to the delight of hostile powers.
“The Russians, the Chinese, the Iranians, the North Koreans, their embassies all watch Prime Minister’s Questions,” he said.
“They will be reporting back to their capitals tonight that the British Prime Minister is flawed, is weak on defence.”
“The first duty of Government above all others is the defence of the realm.
“Andy Burnham comprehensively failed that test today,” Mr Francois said.
Mr Francois also praised Tory leader Kemi Badenoch for “skewering” Mr Burnham on the issue as the pair sparred for the first time.
“She reminded him that we live in a dangerous world, and she asked him to confirm when we would get to spend three per cent of GDP on defence.”
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“He ducked it completely,” the Conservative MP said.
“A year ago they published the SDR but said they wouldn’t say how to pay for it.
“They said they would say that in the Defence Investment Plan; that was this June, they still didn’t say how they’d pay for it.
“Now they’re saying they’ll tell us in the spending review next July.”
Mr Francois also paid tribute to Labour’s Defence Committee chairman, Tan Dhesi, for challenging the Prime Minister on armed forces spending.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Dhesi called on his party leader not to “kick the can down the road” by delaying an increase.
“Vibes alone just isn’t going to be enough,” he warned.
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