Kemi Badenoch has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing the Labour government of choosing benefit handouts over national defence. The Conservative Party leader made the remarks following the resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey, who quit over a lack of funding for the armed forces.
Badenoch: Starmer Putting Troops at Risk
Writing exclusively for Express.co.uk, Badenoch stated that Healey acted honourably and in the national interest. She claimed that at Prime Minister's Questions this week, she had warned Starmer that the money planned for defence was less than half the minimum required by the armed forces. Starmer denied this, but Healey's resignation, in which he agreed with Badenoch's assessment, has vindicated her position.
Badenoch said: "I told the Prime Minister that the money he was planning to give for defence was less than half the minimum that the armed forces required. Starmer insisted that wasn't the case. Now the PM's Defence Secretary has resigned because he agrees with me."
Healey's Resignation Letter
Badenoch described Healey's resignation letter as "astonishing." In it, Healey told Starmer: "You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit to the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats." He added that he was being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of forces, increase risk to personnel, and potentially make the country less safe.
Badenoch argued that Britain should not be in this position, but that is where Starmer has taken the country. She accused the Labour government of failing to fund defence because they want to spend money on welfare instead.
Conservative Plan for Defence
Badenoch outlined the Conservative Party's commitment to increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030. She promised to reinstate the two-child benefit cap, arguing that families on benefits should face the same difficult decisions as those who are not. The savings from this cap would be redirected to the armed forces.
Additionally, she pledged to halt Ed Miliband's net zero projects and redirect that funding into a Sovereign Defence Fund, which could raise up to £50 billion for British defence. Badenoch contrasted this with Reform UK, which does not even have a defence spokesman, and criticised Starmer for merely trying to save his own job.
Badenoch concluded: "John Healey has done the honourable thing. This would have been very tough for him, and he would not have taken this decision lightly. But the simple fact is that the world is becoming more dangerous, yet we are getting weaker, because the Labour government has chosen welfare over defence of the country. A Conservative government led by me will always put our national security first."
