Andy Burnham advised on Brexit recovery and security spending

British business leaders and security experts are advising Prime Minister Andy Burnham on critical economic and security priorities. Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, stated that repairing the economic damage caused by Brexit should be a top priority. Haviland noted that many businesses find the current trading relationship with the EU ineffective, citing that the deal enacted in 2021 has not eased the transition as expected. Economists estimate the cost of Brexit to the UK economy has reached up to £240bn, with a projected long-term hit of approximately 4% of GDP.

Separately, former MI5 chief Lord Jonathan Evans has cautioned against a zero-sum approach to national security budgeting. Speaking at a Royal United Services Institute event, Evans warned that the government should not pit international aid against defence spending. He argued that reducing aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income to fund defence is a ‘false economy,’ as defence relies on the stable environments created by effective aid and conflict prevention. Evans emphasized that cutting funds for early intervention in conflicts could lead to more significant and costly problems in the future.