Andy Burnham, the favourite to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, must ensure his policies pass a “Moscow test” as well as a “Makerfield test”, the former Chief of the Defence Staff has said – warning that the UK’s next leader will need to operate “almost like a wartime prime minister”.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that Britain’s military capabilities are “too bare” and that whoever becomes prime minister must fulfil the pledge to increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035. His intervention came as the government prepares to publish its long-awaited Defence Investment Plan (DIP) before the Nato summit in Turkey on 7 July.
“Ex-military chief Sir Tony Radakin says Burnham needs a 'Moscow test' on defence, while Lucy Powell endorses Ed Miliband as chancellor.”
“As well as having the Makerfield test, I would say it’s the Moscow test,” Sir Tony said. “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.”
Burnham, elected this month as the MP for Makerfield, has previously said new legislation must pass a “Makerfield test”. But the former military chief warned that current defence spending risks falling “short on those commitments – and then that creates a whole load of hurt with our Nato allies and especially our relationship with America”.
The pressure on defence comes as Burnham prepares to give his first major speech on the economy since returning to Westminster, expected on Monday. Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has added to the drama by endorsing Ed Miliband as a potential chancellor for Burnham, describing him as “good” for the role despite concerns inside the party that appointing him could unsettle the markets.
Powell, who served as Miliband’s chief of staff in opposition, told the BBC: “Yes I do actually, but actually I think this is a slightly distracting conversation.” She said the focus should be on creating jobs rather than “tittle-tattle” over cabinet posts. Some in Burnham’s camp acknowledge that naming Miliband would be politically risky, with big business sceptical and several big unions opposed because of his position on the North Sea and net zero agenda.
One ally suggested that Burnham’s focus on fiscal responsibility could indicate his choice: “The more boring the speech is, the more likely it is that Ed will be chancellor.” Sources said the new Makerfield MP would lean heavily into his commitment to sticking to fiscal rules and Labour’s tax pledges.
A former colleague and co-author who has known Burnham for two decades described him as driven by a desire to tackle unfairness, recalling how at a service at Anfield for the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, Burnham stopped and listened to families. “That experience stayed with him,” the colleague wrote in the New Statesman. “He sees unfairness and wants to do something about it.” But they added that Burnham can be stubborn: “Once he’s convinced himself he’s right about something, he’s not easily shaken.”
With negotiations over defence funding continuing in Whitehall – and Defence Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns having resigned over insufficient investment – Burnham faces an immediate test of his ability to balance domestic priorities with global threats. As Sir Tony put it: “It is keep our country safe, acknowledge that you have this extraordinary responsibility.”