Lib Dems on NATO Summit: Deeply embarrassing for the PM

EMBARGO: 0001 Tuesday 7th July 2026

As NATO allies gather in Ankara for a critical summit on defence spending plans, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson, James MacCleary MP, said: 

"It is deeply embarrassing that at a time of such global volatility and heightened threats, the outgoing Prime Minister is walking into this critical NATO summit with nothing to show but a half-baked and woefully inadequate Defence Investment Plan.

"This summit must be a wake-up call for our Prime Minister-in-waiting. Andy Burnham’s first priority after crossing the threshold into No.10 must be to create a concrete, fully-funded, and long-term strategy for rebuilding our Armed Forces. This is the bare minimum required after years of neglect from the previous Conservative Government.

“If he’s serious about strengthening Britain’s defences, Burnham must also adopt the Liberal Democrats' proposal for defence bonds. By unlocking £20 billion of investment specifically for national defence, we can rapidly deliver the vital injection of funds which our frontline forces need and our allies expect.

ENDS