All noises coming from government tonight suggest Andy Burnham will spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030 - Bloomberg reported this morning that the military still expects John Healey to commit to that target at next year’s spending review, despite suggestions of backsliding - Healey also told the Times today that he wouldn’t be a hypocrite, implying the same thing - asked about the 2030 target date in the Commons this afternoon, Burnham said he appointed Healey “precisely because” of his commitments on defence, strongly suggesting he supports the target - it appears these developments leave little wiggle room and that Burnham and Healey are planning for 3% by 2030 in the spending review - that would be a big policy that may come to define Burnham’s premiership. It’ll also cost some £15b extra per year and mean spending cuts in other departments and likely tax rises - also in a marathon three-and-a-half hour Commons session this evening Burnham signalled he is open to nationalising the water industry - he said he’s looking at “all possible solutions” and called water a “leaking monument” to the failures of privatisation, pledging to set out a plan for the “public control” of essential services later this year