Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, has been confronted with a £47 billion bill to fund Sir Keir Starmer's new defence investment plan, according to leaked documents obtained by the Guardian. The revelation has sparked a political row over the funding of national defence commitments at the local level.
Leaked Documents Reveal Scale of Local Burden
The documents, marked as confidential, outline a proposal to shift a significant portion of the costs for the Labour leader's defence upgrade onto metropolitan authorities. Under the plan, Greater Manchester would be required to contribute £47 billion over the next decade, effectively making it the largest single local contributor to the national defence strategy.
A spokesperson for Burnham said: 'This is an extraordinary and unacceptable demand. Our residents cannot be expected to foot the bill for a national defence programme that should be funded by central government. We will be fighting these plans every step of the way.'
Starmer's Defence Investment Plan
Sir Keir Starmer unveiled his defence investment plan earlier this month, promising to increase UK defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030. The plan includes new naval vessels, cyber capabilities, and a modernisation of the armed forces. However, the leaked documents suggest that local authorities in Labour-controlled areas would be expected to cover a substantial portion of the costs through increased council tax and local business levies.
The total bill for Greater Manchester alone amounts to £47 billion, which critics argue would devastate local services. The documents indicate that similar demands could be placed on other Labour mayors, including those in West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, and South Yorkshire.
Political Fallout
The news has caused a rift within the Labour Party, with several backbench MPs expressing concern. One Labour MP, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: 'This is a disaster. We are being asked to choose between national security and the survival of our local services. It's an impossible position.'
Conservative MPs have seized on the revelation, with Defence Secretary Grant Shapps calling it 'a disgraceful backdoor tax on working people.' He added: 'Labour's defence plan was already threadbare, and now we see they intend to make the poorest areas pay for it.'
Impact on Local Services
If implemented, the £47 billion demand would require Greater Manchester to divert funds from education, social care, and transport infrastructure. Burnham's office has calculated that this would lead to a 15% reduction in local government spending over the next five years, potentially resulting in thousands of job losses and cuts to frontline services.
A senior figure in Burnham's administration said: 'We are already struggling with the cost of living crisis. This would be a hammer blow to our communities. We need the Treasury to step in and fund defence properly.'
Next Steps
Burnham is expected to meet with Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves next week to discuss the funding proposals. Labour sources suggest that the party leadership may be willing to compromise, but no details have been confirmed. Meanwhile, the Guardian understands that similar leaked documents have been circulated to other metro mayors, raising the possibility of coordinated opposition to the plan.
The row comes at a sensitive time for Starmer, who is trying to position Labour as a credible party on defence ahead of the next general election. However, the internal dissent threatens to undermine that message.
