Andy Burnham risks betraying Britain if he delays vital defence funding, according to a comment piece by David Williamson, Chief Political Commentator. The warning comes as reports suggest the Prime Minister is considering postponing the spending review due in the spring until next autumn.
The piece argues that this month's Budget is a moment of high danger for the PM. If he does not announce a major uplift in military funding, he will be accused of neglecting the defence of the realm. The great question is how the UK will raise defence spending to 3% of GDP.
Fury in armed forces
Reports that he is considering delaying the spending review will trigger fury in the armed forces and dismay within the companies which supply them. Securing the nation involves much more than approving a cash injection; equipment must be ordered and personnel must be trained.
Britain faces a host of foes, and it is Mr Burnham's urgent task to deter them. A last-minute cash injection will not save Britain from its foes, the piece argues. Investment is needed now to rearm a vulnerable nation.
Raye's spiritual hit
In a separate column, the writer praises Ivor Novello Award-winning singer Raye, describing her as an incendiary talent and a 21st century psalmist. Her latest single, Hope, is described as electrifying music and the most vivid expression of spiritual yearning and delight heard in years.
Its refrain – “I may cry through the night, but my joy comes in the morning” – is an unashamed reworking of Psalm 93, written by warrior-songwriter King David some 3,000 years ago. The piece notes that few of the most prominent people of faith in Britain today are clergy, with figures such as Arsenal's Bukayo Saka talking about their beliefs with eloquence and courage.
Von der Leyen's ambitions
The piece also marks the 68th birthday of Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, who is expected to remain in post until 2029. It questions what bigger prize there could be than to retire with the UK firmly on the road back to being a member state – or at the very least abiding by Brussels's rules in the single market.
On empathy, the writer reflects that a new sense of kinship can heal a fractured nation. The NHS and the social safety net only exist because previous generations believed in caring for the stranger and loving their neighbours – fully aware that they might one day need help. The big challenge for today's leaders is reviving this sense of a nation being one great family while ensuring generosity is not abused. The fractures in the country need healing.
