Politics
Burnham rules out welfare cuts to fund UK defence
September 10, 2026 at 07:57 AM · Updated 36d ago
Coverage
3 reports · over 22 hours
BNBBC News
Kemi Badenoch denies housing benefit cuts plan would make people homeless
(opens the publisher’s site)
TGThe Guardian
Streeting praises new series The Wargame for highlighting Britain’s defence needs
(opens the publisher’s site)
BNBBC News
Andy Burnham: National security can't come at expense of social security
(opens the publisher’s site)Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said national security "can't come at the expense of social security," rejecting Conservative plans to fund defence through welfare savings.
- At Prime Minister's Questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pressed Burnham on whether he would spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030 and how he would fund it.
- Burnham restated the government's Nato target of 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035, with a date for reaching 3% set in the spring spending review.
- He rejected a Conservative plan to raise government funding through at least £4bn of housing benefit savings, citing the homelessness it would create.
- Badenoch accused Burnham of being "continuity Keir" and said he was "still failing to cut welfare".
Latest developments
- Sep 10 — Badenoch has denied her housing benefit cuts would make people homeless, suggesting some recipients in expensive areas could “move somewhere cheaper”.
- Sep 10 — She said the £4bn savings form part of a wider £23bn welfare reduction to fund defence, with existing tenants and pensioners protected.