Wes Streeting named to top UK defense role

LONDON — Wes Streeting will become the U.K.’s new defense secretary, Downing Street announced, as Andy Burnham unveiled his new Cabinet after becoming prime minister. Streeting take over less than six weeks after predecessor Dan Jarvis, who was appointed amid a fierce row within government over defense spending, was named to the job by Burnham’s predecessor Keir Starmer. Jarvis was responsible for delivering the government’s long-awaited Defence Investment Plan, which allocated money to the capabilities needed to deal with the biggest threats to the U.K. over the next four years. While he managed to secure extra funding for defense as part of the plan, much of it is meant to come from savings which have not yet been identified, leaving a significant challenge for the newcomer at the Ministry of Defence. Streeting has made several interventions on defense spending since he resigned from Starmer’s government this past spring, endorsing the idea of “war bonds” to raise money and arguing for the scrapping of outdated military programs. He has, however, never held a foreign-facing brief, and would face skepticism from those who believe the ministry should ideally be led by a veteran.