Kemi Badenoch launched a scathing attack on Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday, accusing the Prime Minister of a 'total dereliction of duty' over a £5 billion shortfall in defence spending. The Conservative Party leader tore into Starmer during Prime Minister's Questions, claiming he was leaving a 'mess' for his successor, Andy Burnham.
Starmer absent as Badenoch demands answers
With Starmer absent from the chamber for the weekly session, Badenoch urged him to condemn the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which has a £5 billion funding gap. She told MPs: 'The plan has unravelled, it is a total dereliction of duty. Even the limited plan that he has announced has completely unravelled because he hasn't found the money to pay for it. It is £5 billion short.'
She added: 'We all know that he is leaving this mess to his successor. So, can he confirm that the member for Makerfield has agreed to fund the shortfall?'
Defence Investment Plan details
The DIP promises a £15 billion boost in defence spending, largely funded by cuts to other departments' capital budgets. However, Rachel Reeves's Treasury has yet to detail how it will fund almost a third of the increase, leaving £4.7 billion of funding to be set out at the next Budget. Starmer refused multiple times to answer whether he was leaving Burnham to find the money when he becomes Prime Minister in less than three weeks.
Starmer deflects criticism
Instead, Starmer attacked the Tories for cuts to defence during their 14 years in power. He said: 'Because of the decisions at the last budget, we’ve got headroom of £22 billion. That is precisely so we can take decisions like this. We delivered it outside a Budget, outside a spending review, just like we did with the special educational needs – outside a Budget, outside a spending review – just like the previous Government did when they announced their five-year NHS plan in 2018 outside a Budget, outside a spending review.'
He added: 'Let’s drop the faux outrage, focus on what matters – the biggest sustained increase for 45 years, providing what is needed to keep the country safe.'
Burnham and Pollard caught off guard
It emerged on Wednesday that Andy Burnham only found out about the £4.7 billion hole in the plan on the day it was published. Defence minister Luke Pollard said he only saw the Treasury breakdown himself when the plan was published on Tuesday. He added: 'Downing Street have a close dialogue with Andy’s team … I understand they’ve been keeping him close to the process, and told him yesterday when the Treasury published the statement and the breakdown of the financial costs. So I saw the breakdown of the £15 billion for the first time on Tuesday when it was published by the Treasury. I understand that Downing Street are keeping Andy’s team involved with the process.'
Potential cuts to hospitals and infrastructure
Downing Street did not rule out cuts to some hospital building programmes to pay for increased defence spending. Plans for cuts to transport and energy projects will be set out 'by the autumn', No 10 added. When asked whether the Government had a complete list of projects that would be cancelled, the spokesman only repeated that plans would be set out by the autumn.
Upcoming parliamentary schedule
Starmer will face Badenoch at the Despatch Box one last time on July 15, following his resignation last week. He will attend the NATO summit in Turkey next Wednesday, meaning David Lammy will clash with a Tory instead. If Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister as expected on July 20, he will not have to answer MPs in the Commons until September because Parliament will be in recess.
