Prime Minister Andy Burnham has welcomed the Government's latest investment in the UK's nuclear deterrent, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen both national security and skilled employment.
Posting on X, Burnham said:
"Today I'm announcing a major investment in our nuclear deterrent, supporting 22,000 apprenticeships.
Keeping this country safe is the first responsibility of any government - but security isn't just about what we build, it's about who builds it.
The submarines produced in Barrow protect us all, the jobs and apprenticeships they create change lives.
This is Britain - reindustrialised."
The investment forms part of the Government's wider plans to modernise the UK's nuclear deterrent and support the submarine-building programme centred in Barrow-in-Furness. The programme, which has already been announced by the Government, is expected to sustain thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK's defence and manufacturing sectors while creating around 22,000 apprenticeship opportunities.
Burnham's comments focused on the economic benefits of defence manufacturing alongside its role in national security, arguing that major industrial projects can help create long-term skilled employment and strengthen Britain's manufacturing base.
The Government has repeatedly said that investment in defence is intended not only to maintain the UK's continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent but also to support jobs, apprenticeships and economic growth across the country.
The programme is expected to benefit supply chains well beyond Cumbria, with companies across the UK contributing to the design, construction and maintenance of the next generation of Royal Navy submarines.
Burnham's remarks reflect the growing emphasis among ministers and regional leaders on linking defence investment with wider industrial strategy, skills development and economic regeneration.
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