Keir Starmer’s government actually agreed this funding as part of the £15 billion uplift for the UK’s defence and nuclear budget in the Defence Investment Plan.

But Burnham is suggesting this money will help “reindustrialise” Britain by supporting apprenticeships and jobs.

He said: “Security is not only about what we build, it is about who builds it, and who benefits from it.

“The submarines produced in Barrow will protect Britain for decades to come, and the 47,000 jobs and apprenticeships will change lives both in this town and in dozens of places like it.

“British money, spent on British workers, British firms and British skills, in the places that were written off for 40 years.”

The project will look at replacing existing nuclear submarines and getting them ready for service.

Defence secretary Wes Streeting said: “Our nuclear-armed submarines are essential to keeping the UK secure, acting as the ultimate deterrent to our adversaries in an increasingly dangerous world.

“This milestone investment breathes new life into Barrow’s historic traditions and secures our commitment to deliver Dreadnought Class submarines by backing British industry.

“Supporting thousands of skilled, local jobs, we are fusing Barrow’s proud heritage with modern technology to build our security for the future, supporting the next generation to keep our country safe as their parents and grandparents did.”

Burnham has made delivering “security and growth in every postcode” central to his mission to help tackle the cost of living.

The prime minister will be visiting Barrow-in-Furness on Thursday to unveil a new BAE apprentice scheme which will train 30 apprentices over the next three years.

The prime minister previously suggested it was time to put a nuclear deterrent at the centre of a reindustrialised Britain.

Questions over whether the Burnham government still intend to spend 3% of GDP (gross domestic product) on defence by 2030 remain, though.

The prime minister dodged the query on Wednesday during his announcement on social care and instead promised to honour Nato’s goal of reach 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said while this was a “re-announcement of funding previously confirmed in the DIP” it was still welcomed by the Tories.

However, the party pointed out that Burnham is adding to the uncertainty by failing to commit to the 3% target.

The Liberal Democrats also supported the announcement but warned more needed to be done to help the military sector.

Defence spokesperson James MacCleary said: “Our nuclear deterrent is the ultimate guarantor of Britain’s national security.

“The prime minister is right to focus on securing its next generation, but he can’t turn a blind eye to the damage done to the rest of our military by years of Conservative negligence and cuts.

“With [Vladimir] Putin expanding his aggression and an unreliable partner in the White House, we need to invest properly in the regeneration of our Army, Navy and Air Force.

“This is a real missed opportunity for Andy Burnham to have heeded Liberal Democrat calls for defence bonds, and raise dedicated funding to rebuild capabilities across the whole of the Armed Forces.”

Reform UK’s Danny Kruger accused Burnham of focusing on “press releases instead of strategic decisions”.

“This rehashed spending plan does nothing to address the crisis in the UK’s nuclear programme, which needs vision, grip, and sustained funding – not a re-announcement to plug a gap in the new PM’s summer grid,” the MP said.

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