UK Prime Minister Burnham faces first PMQs, pledges defence and social spending

The newly appointed Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, addressed the House of Commons for his first Prime Minister’s Questions on Tuesday, marking the inaugural parliamentary appearance of the Labour government that secured a decisive victory in last month’s general election. In his opening remarks, Starmer reaffirmed the party’s commitment to meeting the NATO‑mandated defence target of 2.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2030 and outlined a parallel agenda to raise social spending, citing planned increases in funding for health, education and social care as central to the government’s post‑election priorities.

During the session, opposition leaders pressed the Prime Minister on the timetable for the defence budget uplift and the fiscal path for expanding welfare programmes. Starmer responded that a comprehensive defence review would be completed within six months, after which the necessary allocations would be incorporated into the forthcoming budget. He added that a “fair and sustainable” fiscal framework would underpin the proposed social spending boost, with detailed proposals to be published in the next spring budget. The Prime Minister concluded by emphasizing that delivering both security and social equity would be the hallmark of his administration, setting the tone for the government’s legislative programme in the coming parliamentary term.