Burnham Says Investment In Nuclear Submarines Will Boost UK Jobs

Andy Burnham says an £8.4 billion investment in nuclear submarines will strengthen UK security and create jobs, framing the spending as part of a wider push to “reindustrialise” Britain. He noted the money was already agreed by Keir Starmer’s government within a £15 billion uplift for the UK’s defence and nuclear budget in the Defence Investment Plan. Burnham linked the project to apprenticeships and the 47,000 jobs tied to submarine production in Barrow, where existing nuclear submarines are to be replaced and prepared for service. The prime minister will visit Barrow-in-Furness on Thursday to unveil a BAE apprenticeship scheme for 30 trainees over three years. He avoided direct questions about whether defence spending will reach 3% of GDP by 2030.