Andy Burnham needs the Moscow test and the Makersfield test, said a former military commander

Andy Burnham will need a “Moscow test” for his policies if he becomes prime minister, former Chief of the Defense Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin has said.

Burnham, the favorite to replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, previously said the “Makersfield test” of new legislation had passed the constituency this month.

The former military chief told the BBC’s Laura Kunsberg program on Sunday that the UK’s next leader must act “like a wartime prime minister” in the face of international threats.

Sir Tony’s intervention comes as the government prepares to publish its long-awaited defense spending plan.

He described military capabilities as “absolutely empty”, saying any prime minister must fulfill his pledge to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035.

Negotiations in Whitehall over how to fund the Defense Investment Plan (DIP) continued this week, with the government deciding to withdraw ahead of a NATO summit in Turkey on July 7.

Defense Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Secretary Al Carnes – who have not ruled out running for Burnham to become Labor leader and prime minister – Both announced their resignations earlier this month. They said it was insufficient investment for the plan.

Sir Tony told the BBC: “I would say the Mackersfield test is also a Moscow test.

“What do you think about Moscow? Do you think NATO is a nuclear power?”

“Because these elements are what protect us.”

Asked if his message to Burnham should be Prime Minister, Sir Tony said: “It’s to keep our country safe, you know you have this extraordinary responsibility – so you’re like a wartime Prime Minister right now.”

“And that means you need to invest in what really protects us.”

Sir Tony said the UK’s current level of defense spending would “cut short on those commitments and then cause total damage to our relationship with our NATO partners and particularly the US”.

“When we say that we need to strengthen our armed forces, we have made it very clear that it means more money for day-to-day operations,” he said about military capabilities.

“This is stores, this is maintenance, this is how you get those ships out. Your planes are ready for action. This is how your tanks and armored fighting vehicles are available.

“It’s all very empty at the moment.”

Under Sir Kiir’s leadership, defense spending has increased and the government, along with most NATO partners, has pledged to increase spending to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035.

But in his resignation statement, Haley said the proposed increase in the draft DIP fell short of what was needed and would actually lead to operational cuts.

The Ministry of Defense has asked for an extra £28bn over the decade, but there are reports that only a further £10bn has been delivered.

All government departments have been asked to reduce their budgets.

Healey’s successor, Dan Jarvis, told BBC South that Burnham understands the nature and complexity of the world we work in, and I know national security will be the number one priority for any Labor prime minister.

He continued his speech: “Even if there is a change in the position of the Prime Minister, I believe that the basic policies will remain the same, and we are making sure that we are doing everything we can to protect the country from danger…”

Jarvis reiterated the government’s commitment to publishing the DIP ahead of the NATO summit in July.

Watch Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg at 09:00 BST Sunday on BBC One and iPlayer.