Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who retired last year as Chief of the Defence Staff, said Andy Burnham would need to apply a ‘Moscow test’ to his policies in Government
Andy Burnham must operate “almost like a wartime Prime Minister” if he gets the keys to No10, the former head of the armed forces has warned.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who retired last year as Chief of the Defence Staff, piled pressure on the incoming PM to meet Keir Starmer’s promise to beef up defence spending. He said Mr Burnham would need to apply a “Moscow test” to his policies – echoing his pledge to apply a “Makerfield test” to decisions, weighing up whether they deliver for people in his North West constituency.
It comes as the Government prepares to publish the long-delayed defence investment plan(Dip), in one of Mr Starmer’s final acts as PM. New Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis has been locked in talks over the crisis-hit plan after his predecessor John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns both quit their posts in an explosive row over funding.
Sir Tony said the next PM must fulfil Mr Starmer’s pledge to hike defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, as he warned Britain’s military capabilities as “too bare”. In a message to Mr Burnham, he told the BBC: “As well as having the Makerfield test, I would say it’s the Moscow test.
“What do we look like to Moscow? Do we look like a strong member of the Nato alliance? Do we look like a strong nuclear power? Do we look like a strong ally of America? Because those are the elements that keep us safe.”
Asked what his message to Mr Burnham would be if he became PM, Sir Tony said: “It is keep our country safe, acknowledge that you have this extraordinary responsibility – so you’re almost like a wartime prime minister at the moment. And that means you need to invest in what really keeps us safe.”
The former military chief said the current level of defence spending risked falling “short on those commitments – and then that creates a whole load of hurt with our Nato allies and especially our relationship with America”.
He went on: “We’ve been very clear in saying that we need to strengthen our armed forces. It means additional money for day to day operations. That is stores. That is maintenance. That’s how you get those ships out. That’s how your aircraft are available for operations. That’s how your tanks and armoured fighting vehicles are available. All of that at the moment is too bare.”
Mr Burnham is said to have signed off on the Dip, which Mr Starmer promised would be published before a crucial Nato summit in July. The Defence Secretary is believed to have secured another £1billion for the plan, taking the funding closer to £15billion over the next four years. However it falls well below the £28billion military chiefs believe is needed to get Britain war-fighting ready.
The UK Commando Force will get a £500 million boost as part of changes to the plan, with high-speed boats and strike drones committed to the elite force.