Andy Burnham latest: Healey promises to hike defence spending after Trump’s latest Falklands threat

John Healey has promised to hike UK defence spending after Donald Trump said he was reviewing the United States’ position on the British sovereignty over the Falkland islands.

The US president is reportedly willing to British rule of the overseas territory as an incentive to encourage Andy Burnham to increase defence spending .

"I always review every ⁠position,” Mr Trump told reporters on Monday, when asked about the islands' sovereignty. “That's just one of ​many,” he added.

Speaking to The Times shortly after, Mr Healey insisted he was “100 per cent” committed to delivering a defence spending target of 3 per cent of GDP, adding he would set out the plan at the spring review.

It comes as Mr Burnham is set to deliver his first address as prime minister in the House of Commons on Tuesday as Parliament returns from recess this week .

The speech will focus on the cost-of-living crisis as the Labour leader makes a case for bringing more essential services under public control, according to reports in The Guardian .

Mr Burnham has announced a range of policies over the summer that have largely gone uncontested but will now face scrutiny by MPs.

President Donald Trump said he was reviewing the United States’ position on the British sovereignty over the Falkland islands, in a move that will raise alarm for Labour ministers.

It follows reports last week that the US administration was prepared to oppose British rule of the overseas territory as an incentive to encourage Andy Burnham to increase defence spending,

The islands are administered by the UK but are claimed by Argentina, whose president is an ally of Mr Trump.

"I always review every ⁠position,” Mr Trump told reporters on Monday, when asked about the islands' sovereignty. “That's just one of ​many,” he added.

The justice secretary has insisted prisons will “still function properly” amid concerns over government plans to turn laundries into accommodation in a bid to tackle overcrowding.

Asked where clothes would be washed if laundry rooms were converted into cells, Alex Norris told BBC Breakfast: “Of course we’re going to make sure that the prisons can still function properly.

“This is a creative look, as I say, around our estate and being able to use some space that we can re-prioritise.”