Sir Keir Starmer is expected to proceed with the publication of the Defence Investment Plan (Dip) despite opposition from Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham. Burnham, widely expected to replace Starmer following his resignation, wants the publication delayed to allow him to assess and amend it. Downing Street confirmed no major new policy decisions or spending pledges would be made in the coming weeks, with Starmer set to agree priorities with Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo. However, the Dip, delayed for months due to internal wrangling over funding, is one loose end Starmer intends to tie up before leaving office.
Burnham's Allies Push for Delay
Starmer's plan to publish the document before the NATO summit on July 7 risks causing friction, as allies of Burnham believe the decision should fall to the next leader. An ally of former defence secretary John Healey, who quit over the Dip earlier this month, warned against publishing a “half-baked” plan before the new prime minister is installed. “We know this Dip settlement falls well short, and an incoming PM will still have to meet the same requirements. So clearly there is a strong argument against publishing a half-baked Dip now,” they said.
Political Reactions and Warnings
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge expressed concern that the chaos following the Prime Minister’s resignation could delay the plan's publication further. In advice to Starmer’s likely successor, Cartlidge urged Burnham to boost defence spending upon entering Downing Street. He said in the Commons: “Assuming (Burnham) becomes Prime Minister in the coming weeks, he will have many items in his in tray. But the first duty of any Government is Defence of the realm. So when Labour’s own Secretary of State for Defence until just days ago resigns saying Labour’s Defence Investment Plan would make the country ‘less safe’, it must be obvious that this is the top item for the new PM’s attention. If the new Prime Minister is to succeed, the quantum of cash on the table will need to be far more substantial, given the threats we face.”
Government Denies 'Zombie' Status
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds denied Starmer’s government was a “zombie government” and confirmed the Dip would be published within the next couple of weeks. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It isn’t a delay because it’s something that the country has always planned to do for the NATO summit, which is in early July in Turkey. That remains the case. That is unchanged. The work is continuing.” Chancellor Rachel Reeves also assured MPs: “I am confident that the Dip will be published before the NATO summit. It will involve more money, spent more effectively, and will meet the scale of the challenges facing our country.”
