Andy Burnham entering Downing Street 'almost like a wartime Prime Minister', ex-Armed Forces chief says
Admiral Sir Tony David Radakin, who was the head of the Armed Forces from November 2021 and September 2025, said the likely incoming Prime Minister should add a “Moscow test” to his policy.
A former chief of the defence staff has said Andy Burnham is coming into Downing Street “almost like a wartime Prime Minister”, as Rachel Reeves announced further support for Ukraine on a trip to Kyiv.
Admiral Sir Tony David Radakin, who was the head of the Armed Forces from November 2021 and September 2025, said the likely incoming Prime Minister should add a “Moscow test” to his policy.
Speaking to the BBC, Sir Tony said his message to Mr Burnham was: “Keep our country safe, acknowledge that you have this extraordinary responsibility so you are almost like a wartime Prime Minister at the moment so you need to invest in what really keeps us safe.
“As well as having the Makerfield test, I would say [you need to have] the Moscow test - what do we look like to Moscow?
“Do we look like a strong member of the Nato alliance? Do we look like a strong nuclear power? A strong ally of America? Those are the things that keep us safe.”
Sir Tony’s comments came as Chancellor Rachel Reeves visited Kyiv to confirm £290m in support for Ukraine's resilience and energy security.
It is likely this is Ms Reeves’ last month in the job, with Mr Burnham expected to put someone like Ed Miliband or Pat McFadden in charge of the country’s finances.
She said: “The UK's support for Ukraine is ironclad. I'm proud to visit Kyiv to see the benefits of UK investment.
"Our partnership is not only helping Ukraine on the battlefield, but providing the financial firepower to build back stronger, help vulnerable people and protect critical infrastructure.
"Ukraine's security is Europe's security and we will continue to support the people of Ukraine."
This comes as the Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said that “real progress” has been made on the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan (Dip), which is expected to be published this week.
His predecessor, John Healey, quit earlier in the month, accusing the Treasury of not allocating enough funds as the £13.5 billion extra investment fell “well short”.
Mr Jarvis, the Barnsley North MP, said: “I’ve been working very hard since I was appointed to satisfy myself that we’ve got the right resource and the right mix of capabilities.
“The Prime Minister has been clear that we will publish the defence investment plan before the Nato summit. That’s what we’re going to do.
“I have a responsibility to make sure I get it right and that is what I’m working to achieve.”
He added: “I pay tribute to my predecessor, he did a great job for defence, but the responsibility is now mine to deliver that plan, and what I need to do is satisfy myself that I’ve got the right level of resource and the right mix of capabilities.
“That is a process across Government. We’ve made real progress with it over the last week or so. I’m determined to get that right and I’m determined to do it before the Nato summit.”
Sir Tony said: “The crucial piece is that we have a defence investment plan that matches the commitment that was made last year, that we need to spend a bit more on defence because the world is more dangerous.”
At Nato’s summit at the Hague in June 2025, Sir Keir Starmer committed to increasing defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) by 2035.
“As we step into the 2030s we need to be stronger than we currently are,” Sir Tony said.
“If it’s this Prime Minister or the next Prime Minister and we get an announcement of additional money then we should always welcome that, but if it’s not enough then the new Prime Minister is going to have to find that money over the course of this Parliament.”
The comments come after a £500m funding package was promised to the UK’s commandos under changes to the Dip drawn up by Mr Jarvis as he seeks to put his stamp on the long-awaited blueprint.
High-speed boats and strike drones will be committed to the elite force, with a focus on the High North – which includes the Arctic Circle and nearby areas – in the face of rising Russian activity in the region.
The Sunday Times reported that the former paratrooper commander has secured an extra £1bn from the Prime Minister for the Dip, and “shifted” the focus towards providing kit to troops on the front line.
The funding will partly go towards new high-speed commando insertion craft – special vessels used to covertly transport troops from the rapid-response force – which officials said could be used for operations including the seizure of Russian shadow fleet vessels.
Meanwhile, the paper reported that plans to replace Britain’s ageing warships have been scrapped in favour of prioritising drones and modernising the armed forces.
It comes after Royal Marine commandos helped intercept the tanker Smyrtos in the Channel early on Sunday in the first UK-led operation to capture a sanctioned ship earlier this month.