Wes Streeting said he wanted to ensure the military is prepared to fight and win a war in his first public event as Defence Secretary.
He also faced questions over whether tax rises might be levied to pay for extra defence spending, as the UK faces calls from Nato to hike its military commitments to 3.5% of the economy’s output by 2035.
John Healey, the new Chancellor and a former defence secretary, has insisted Britain will honour its promises to international allies.
Mr Streeting described the new Chancellor as a “firm friend” of defence, when asked how Andy Burnham’s new Government plans to boost military spending.
Streeting's vision for defence
Speaking in London alongside counterparts from Italy, Japan and Canada, the Defence Secretary said: “My focus is on maximising our deterrence and ensuring that, should deterrence fail, we’re ready to fight and win alongside allies.
“That means reindustrialisation and building back up our production capacity, so we can give our armed forces the kit they need, as well as building and buying British, so that we deliver good jobs in communities in every part of our country.
“It also means pushing the frontier of defence innovation, exactly as we are doing today, and it means keeping our people at the heart of defence.”
Tax hikes question
Asked if he was hinting at tax hikes to pay for increased defence spending, Mr Streeting did not directly reply, and spoke about how social justice and boosting Britain’s national security could “go hand in hand”.
He added: “As to future fiscal events, it’s for the Chancellor to make announcements on those matters but I certainly feel like we’ve got a firm friend in His Majesty’s Treasury.”
Global Combat Air Programme
Mr Streeting was speaking as Canada joined the UK-Italy-Japan Global Combat Air Programme (Gcap) as an observer nation.
Gcap is a pact which the UK has agreed with Italy and Japan to build a new sixth generation fighter jet.
Informally dubbed Tempest, the new jets will be equipped with technology including AI and next generation sensors, as western nations seek to maintain air superiority over threats from rival powers like Russia and China.
Canada’s “observer nation” status means it will not have a decision-making role, but will have privileged access to the scheme. It also paves the way for a closer contribution from Canada to Gcap in the future.
Mr Streeting and Prime Minister Mr Burnham take up their roles after a row over defence spending plagued Sir Keir Starmer’s final weeks at Number 10.
Mr Healey, now the Chancellor, quit as defence secretary in June after saying the defence investment plan did not provide enough money to future-proof the armed forces, and criticised the then-prime minister for not setting out a realistic timetable for the UK’s obligations to Nato to raise defence spending.
