Andy Burnham announces £8.4bn investment in UK nuclear submarines

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a new £8.4 billion investment for the United Kingdom’s nuclear‑submarine programme ahead of a visit to Barrow‑in‑Furness, sparking immediate political friction over broader defence‑spending commitments and whether the money is truly new.

Andy Burnham Confirms Submarine Funding and Visits Barrow‑in‑Furness

The £8.4 billion will be used to progress the Dreadnought‑class programme, which will eventually replace the four Vanguard‑class submarines that have carried Trident missiles since 1992. The Vanguard boats are slated for retirement in the 2030s, with the Dreadnought fleet expected to enter service at the same time.

The project was first announced in 2006 by then‑Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair and received formal parliamentary approval in 2016. Thursday’s announcement marks the start of the fourth phase of the programme, and the funding has been described by some opponents as a re‑announcement of money already set out in the Defence Investment Plan published in the final days of Sir Keir Starmer’s government.

“It’s welcome that we now have a consensus with the Government on backing the nuclear deterrent, and it’s right we send our adversaries the message that we are all behind the workforce of Barrow and Davenport, which supports and builds our submarines.”

James Cartlidge, Conservative Shadow Defence Secretary, via Express.co.uk

Cartlidge also criticised Burnham for providing no detail on how the money will be spent and for not committing to fully fund the wider defence estate.

Cabinet Friction Over Defence‑Spending Targets

The announcement comes as the government debates long‑term military‑budget goals. Burnham has said he wants to meet NATO’s target of spending 3.5 % of national income on defence by 2035 and has also signalled a separate aim of reaching 3 % of GDP, a goal that has generated internal pressure.

John Healey, who resigned as defence secretary under Sir Keir Starmer after frustration over the lack of a clear timeline for the 3 % target, is now Chancellor. He and Burnham must find the extra money needed to meet those pledges.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting cautioned against setting a 3 % target for 2030 without explaining how it will be funded, warning that such promises could undermine market confidence and raise borrowing costs.

“Let’s say, for argument’s sake, I just said ‘yes, we will by 2030 meet 3 %’. The inevitable next question is how will you fund it? … I’m sorry but that path leads to uncertainty, a loss of market confidence, a rise in borrowing costs, so we end up paying a heavy price if you don’t have that fiscal discipline of spelling out at the same time, not just what you will spend, or the taxes you would cut, but also how you would pay for it.”

Wes Streeting, Defence Secretary, via Express.co.uk

Opposition Parties Critique Economic and Military Strategy

Reform UK’s Danny Kruger dismissed the £8.4 billion announcement as a “rehashed spending plan” that does nothing to address what he calls a crisis in the UK's nuclear programme.

Far‑right figure Nigel Farage used the moment to attack Burnham’s political record, arguing that Greater Manchester needs “a fixer” with business experience rather than “yet another career politician”.

Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson James MacCleary called for the use of defence bonds to raise dedicated funding for rebuilding capabilities across the armed forces.

Green Party Westminster leader Ellie Chowns questioned spending billions on a weapons system that “must never be used”, saying the government should not rely on the nuclear programme to create jobs.

Employment, Apprenticeships and Local Impact

Burnham highlighted the economic footprint of the programme, noting that current nuclear‑defence spending supports around 47,000 British jobs and is forecast to rise to about 65,000 by 2030, including roughly 22,000 apprenticeships by 2035.

He also announced that future public‑procurement contracts will give extra social‑value weighting to companies that provide 45‑day work placements, a policy modelled on initiatives he introduced as Greater Manchester mayor. Critics note that the details of how the placement requirement will be enforced remain limited.