UK Labour MP urges defence spending hike after Argentina's
Labour defence committee chair Tan Dhesi says Javier Milei's threats to the Falkland Islands show why the UK must commit to spending 3% of GDP on defence
The chair of the UK's parliamentary defence committee says Argentina's renewed threat to the Falkland Islands makes a rapid increase in British military spending essential. Labour MP Tan Dhesi argues that Prime Minister Andy Burnham must commit to a target of spending 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, a plan he says is now mired in government confusion.
Dhesi spoke to the Guardian after a week of geopolitical tension involving Argentina and mixed signals from the UK government on defence policy. He stated that recent comments by Argentinian President Javier Milei show the need for the UK to bolster its defences.
Urgent call for spending commitment
Tan Dhesi warned that the UK government cannot defer decisions on defence funding. "It's important the prime minister and the chancellor don't defer those decisions to next year," he said. He linked the Falklands issue to broader security concerns, referencing a recent drone incident in Leipzig which Germany publicly attributed to Russia. Dhesi framed the defence of the Falklands as an obligation, noting the islanders' right to self-determination.
The Labour MP's call follows a turbulent period in UK defence planning. During Prime Minister's Questions, Dhesi appeared to secure a promise from Andy Burnham that the UK would meet the 3% by 2030 target, at an estimated additional cost of £10 billion per year. Burnham had replied that he had "made that commitment." However, Downing Street later retreated from this position, stating the prime minister was not making a firm pledge.
Government confusion over targets
The clarification from Number 10 left the policy in a state of uncertainty. Dhesi said there was no clarity on the government's defence policy, which was why he asked the question. "There was a clarification post-PMQs that there isn't an agreement to reach 3% by 2030," he stated. He added that the situation remains unresolved, validating his ongoing questioning of the government's plans.
This confusion was compounded by the Chancellor, John Healey, who had declined to sign up to the 2030 target. Healey had previously resigned from Keir Starmer's government over the defence spending issue. Instead of the 2030 goal, the UK government has committed to a longer-term NATO target of spending 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035.
International reactions embolden Argentina
The debate in London was influenced by international developments. Former US President Donald Trump appeared to question American support for British sovereignty over the Falklands. In an interview, Trump suggested the US could change its traditionally neutral stance on the islands' ownership in retaliation for the UK's lack of support for his actions in Iran. "Don't forget, you get a big percentage of your oil from the strait of Hormuz, and you weren't there to help me," he said.
These comments reportedly emboldened Argentinian President Javier Milei. On Thursday night, Milei said "winds of change" favourable to Argentina's claim were "blowing around the world." He suggested the US was considering a shift in position because Argentina is a reliable partner aligned with Western values. Milei also warned that companies developing oil "behind the back of the Argentine government" would be barred from doing business in Argentina.
In response, UK ministers condemned Milei's comments on Friday. They reiterated that the Falkland Islands would remain British for as long as the people living there wished.
