LONDON — Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis called on Andy Burnham to commit to increasing defence spending from 2030, aiming for NATO's target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035. This would mean an additional £25 billion annually for the military by the middle of the next decade, according to Jarvis.

Jarvis asked Burnham to "evidence the trajectory" towards this NATO target. "What I absolutely will want to see is that in the next spending review we commit the resources to evidence the trajectory to 3.5% [of GDP]," Jarvis said. He made these statements before the annual NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, which he will attend with Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

Jarvis has been in contact with Burnham and his team to discuss defence priorities. "I've known Andy for a very long time and I have not a shred of doubt that as prime minister he will make sure that we've got the resources that we need at a point of challenge," Jarvis said.

Burnham earlier said in an interview that he would "fully fund" the defence investment plan if he became prime minister. He also stated there would be "no compromise on the security of the nation." Starmer previously committed to increasing defence spending to 2.68% of GDP by 2030.

A £298 billion, four-year defence investment plan was published last week. As part of this plan, Jarvis secured an additional £1.5 billion for defence over the next four years, including approximately £600 million for drones. To help fund this, spending on other capital programmes, such as roads, was reduced.

Jarvis plans to reassure his U.S. counterpart, Pete Hegseth, that the UK will meet the 3.5% spending pledge agreed upon last year. The Treasury approved an additional £15 billion for defence until 2030. Jarvis described leaving a £4.7 billion funding gap in the defence budget for Burnham's first budget as routine accounting. He expressed a hope to continue serving under Burnham.