The Labour chair of the defence committee has stressed the urgent need for the UK government to commit to raising military spending to 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030, citing recent threats from Argentina regarding the Falkland Islands.
Tan Dhesi, the Labour MP who chairs the influential committee, stated that comments made by Argentinian President Javier Milei this week underscore why Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government should immediately increase defence spending. This intervention follows a period of perceived confusion surrounding the government’s long-term defence financial commitments.
Mr Dhesi told The Guardian, "It’s important the prime minister and the chancellor don’t defer those decisions to next year. We’ve seen Germany publicly expose Russia for the drone incident [in Leipzig]. Now we’ve got a threat from Argentina saying they are looking to take over the Falklands. We owe it to the Falklands – they say it’s their right to self-determination. It’s important that we also defend them from this threat."
The MP's remarks come after a tumultuous week marked by developments in both geopolitical affairs and UK defence policy discussions. During Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday, the first since Mr Burnham took office in July, Mr Dhesi appeared to have secured a commitment from the Prime Minister that the UK would indeed spend 3% of its economic output on defence by the end of the decade. This target is estimated to incur an additional cost of £10 billion annually.
Mr Dhesi had pressed the Prime Minister on the 2030 commitment, cautioning that "vibes alone just isn’t going to be enough." His question followed Chancellor John Healey’s earlier reluctance to endorse the 2030 target, despite Mr Healey having previously resigned from Keir Starmer’s shadow government over the very issue.
In response to Mr Dhesi, Prime Minister Burnham stated he had "made that commitment." However, Downing Street subsequently issued a clarification, indicating that the Prime Minister had not made a firm commitment to reaching 3% by 2030. The government’s officially stated position remains aligned with a longer-term NATO target of spending 3.5% on defence by 2035.
Reflecting on the exchange, Mr Dhesi commented, "There was no clarity [on the government’s defence policy], that’s why I asked the question. There was a clarification post-PMQs that there isn’t an agreement to reach 3% by 2030. I wasn’t aware of [any] clarity [on this question], and that’s what was reconfirmed afterwards. We’re still in a similar situation. My question is valid and important for the country."
Further complicating the international dimension of the Falklands issue, former US President Donald Trump appeared to question American support for Britain’s sovereignty over the islands later in the week. Traditionally, the US has maintained a neutral stance on the islands’ ownership while acknowledging Britain’s de facto control. However, Mr Trump suggested this position could change in response to what he perceived as a lack of UK support for his policies in Iran.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Trump stated, "Don’t forget, you get a big percentage of your oil from the strait of Hormuz, and you weren’t there to help me. Your country was not there to help me."
These remarks from the former US President have reportedly emboldened Argentinian President Milei. On Thursday night, Mr Milei claimed that "winds of change" favourable to his country’s long-standing claim to the islands were "blowing around the world."
He added, "The US is considering this change of position because it knows that Argentina has a reliable partner, aligned with western values, in a strategically important position that can be a valuable ally in the decades to come." Mr Milei also issued a warning to companies developing oil "behind the back of the Argentine government," stating they would be barred from doing business in Argentina.
In response to President Milei’s comments, UK ministers on Friday condemned his statements, reiterating that the Falkland Islands would remain British for as long as their inhabitants wished them to be.
