ANDY BURNHAM has said he is not “squeamish” about reducing the welfare bill to help fund higher defence spending, as he urged the government to listen to concerns raised by John Healey after his resignation as defence secretary.
Speaking to The Times, the Greater Manchester mayor said “the world has changed” and it was “obvious” that assumptions about defence spending would need to be revised. He said he opposed “crude cuts” to welfare and instead backed a “preventative” approach that would help more people return to work.
Burnham said: “I am not squeamish about saying that the plan would be to reduce the welfare bill.” He added that the aim should be to make investments that support people into work rather than introduce “short-term crude cuts”.
He announced plans for a ten-year public investment programme that would require government procurement contracts to include spending on apprenticeships and work placements.
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Burnham said Healey’s resignation showed politics was “broken” and described the Makerfield by-election, which he is contesting on Thursday, as a “circuit breaker” and the “first stage” of an effort to change the Labour Party.
He said: “These two things are connected, for sure,” referring to welfare spending and defence investment. He argued that defence spending could also support apprenticeships, British industry and jobs.
Burnham also said it was important to listen to “what John is saying and what Al Carns is saying”.
A More in Common poll found Labour held a five-point lead over Reform UK, while Restore Britain was on 8 per cent. More than one in ten voters remained undecided.
The Times reported that Dan Jarvis, the new defence secretary, has been given two weeks to produce a revised defence investment plan with increased funding.
