US threatens to oppose Britain over the Falklands if Burnham does not increase defence spending

The US has threatened to oppose Britain's claim to the Falklands if Andy Burnham does not increase defence spending, The Daily Mail reports.

Officials in Washington are said to be pushing the UK towards meeting NATO's 5 per cent spending pledge, with one revealing 'nothing is being ruled out' in conversations over the matter.

The proposal will likely heap pressure on the Prime Minister, as well as his Chancellor, John Healey, who has been accused of 'surrender' after it emerged he had shelved his own defence spending target.

Mr Healey was branded a 'sell out', 'hypocrite' and accused of putting 'welfare over warfare' as it emerged he will delay setting a date for hitting 3 per cent of GDP on defence spending.

Critics have said it raised fresh questions about Labour's commitment to defence and security of the nation and warned it threatens to sour relations with Washington, which has been calling for greater spending among European allies for years.

They note Mr Healey resigned as Defence Secretary just two months ago under Sir Keir Starmer after the former Prime Minister's military investment plan failed to commit to spending 3 per cent by 2030.

On Thursday it emerged the Chancellor won't use his first Budget to officially set 2030 as the target date for reaching 3 per cent.

He will instead use next year's spending review to set out the timetable.

But White House insiders have not reacted well to the news – and said US President Donald Trump would 'continue efforts' to see Britain increase her defence spending.  

One official said: 'I would expect the UK to receive special attention because it has so much potential.

'We will therefore continue efforts to incentivise and enable the UK to step up in a major way.'

Asked about the US 'reviewing' its position on Britain's sovereignty of the Falklands, they added:  'I can say that they [conversations] are candid and nothing is being ruled out as far as options for encouraging the sort of burden-sharing that we seek.'

It is not the first time the US has openly spoken of 'reviewing' the UK's claim to the Falklands Islands.

In April, similar sentiments were shared in a memo exploring ways for the US to punish Nato countries for failing to support the Iran war by refusing or being reluctant to grant Washington access, basing and overflight (ABO) rights for the conflict.

The email included an option to consider reassessing US diplomatic support for longstanding European 'imperial possessions', such as the Falkland Islands, which lie close to Argentina.

According to the State Department's website, the islands are administered by the United Kingdom but are still claimed by Argentina, whose Libertarian President Javier Milei is a Trump ally.

Britain and Argentina fought in 1982 over the islands after Argentina made a failed bid to take them. Some 650 Argentine soldiers and 255 British troops died before Argentina surrendered.

The wrangle over Britain's defence budget comes as the Kremlin warned this week it could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine if Kyiv continues to fire long-range, UK-made cruise missiles into Russia.

The warning was the strongest direct threat yet to Britain over its military backing for Ukraine.

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