Kemi Badenoch has accused Andy Burnham of having no plan to defend Britain, warning that Vladimir Putin “won’t be worried” about the incoming prime minister. The Conservative leader said the Russian tyrant does not care whether No 10 is in Manchester or London – just what Britain’s response would be if he launches an attack.
Mrs Badenoch will use a speech on Tuesday to warn that global conflicts and uncertainty mean the UK “could not be facing a more serious situation”. She will also lash out at Sir Keir Starmer’s £15billion Defence Investment Plan as being “not fit for purpose”.
NATO Summit and Defence Spending
Her attack comes as Sir Keir jets off to Ankara, Turkey, for the NATO summit – his last as Prime Minister. However, he is likely to face a diplomatic row with Donald Trump after Washington’s ambassador to NATO called for alliance members who are “lagging behind” on defence spending to step up.
Sir Keir’s defence plan will see spending as a proportion of GDP rise from 2.6% in 2027 to 2.7% by 2030, with the intended “trajectory” to hit 3% in the next parliament. Under a plan agreed at last year’s NATO summit in The Hague, members agreed to reach at least 3.5% of GDP by 2035, as part of a total of 5% on defence and “defence-and security-related spending”.
Intelligence Warning on Russia
In her central London speech, Mrs Badenoch is expected to say that Britain has received intelligence that Russia could launch an attack on NATO as soon as 2030. “This development would put Britain in direct conflict with the world’s biggest nuclear-armed state,” she will say. “We could not be facing a more serious situation. This is a critical moment in our national history, and our politics should be reflecting the gravity of the situation.”
She will accuse Labour of creating a “pantomime” at a time when we need “seriousness”. “We are sending an outgoing Prime Minister who is now completely powerless to that NATO summit,” she is expected to say. “And he is taking with him a Defence Investment Plan which he knows is not fit for purpose. With barely half of the additional funding that our armed forces need.”
Attack on Burnham and Farage
The Conservative leader will also take aim at Mr Burnham, pointing out that he “doesn’t appear to have said anything about the threats we face.” “Does he not care that on Sunday a Russian jet was intercepted by the RAF dropping sonar buoys? Defence of this country should be Andy Burnham’s number one priority. In fact, he says he wants to spend less time on foreign affairs.”
Swiping at Reform UK, she will add: “I don’t think Vladimir Putin is going to be worried about Nigel Farage, and I don’t think he’s going to be worried about Andy Burnham. Putin doesn’t care how nationalised your buses are, and they don’t care whether No 10 is in Manchester or London. All he cares about is whether Britain is able to defend herself or not.”
Downing Street Response
Downing Street said the Prime Minister will “make clear” that the UK's contribution to NATO “will not waver in a new era of threats.” His deputy spokesperson said: “This is a new era for NATO, which is why at Ankara, alongside our allies, the Prime Minister will be focused on building a stronger and more European NATO than ever before, ready to support Ukraine and face the long-term threat posed by an increasingly reckless and dangerous Russia.” No 10 remained tight-lipped as to whether Sir Keir would hold a face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump during the two-day summit.
