Burnham vows UK defence rebuild

Andy Burnham, the likely next UK prime minister, has vowed to strengthen the nation's armed forces and defence industry, arguing that a more dangerous world requires a renewed focus on 'hard power'. In a newspaper article, Burnham said he wanted investment in defence to help reindustrialise struggling parts of Britain and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. He cited recent world events including the US-Israeli war against Iran, Russia's war against Ukraine, and a cyber attack on Tata Motors — Jaguar Land Rover. Burnham also pledged to build closer ties with European countries on defence and security, particularly France and Germany, and to speed up negotiations with the European Union on issues such as illegal migration. He confirmed that Jonathan Powell will remain as national security adviser. Nominations open on July 9 with no other candidate expected to challenge Burnham.