Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has warned that Britain is already "at war" and accused the Labour Government of failing to prepare the country for potential conflict, as the Government launched its new Be Ready campaign urging households to stockpile emergency supplies.
Badenoch: 'We are at war, now'
Speaking on Tuesday, Mrs Badenoch said the West could be dragged into "hybrid warfare" as hostile states target businesses, power supplies, and supermarket freezers. She pointed to recent reports of North Korean hackers stealing billions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency and European supermarkets being shut down after their refrigeration systems were hacked.
She said: "Warfare is changing, in so many different ways - we are at war, now. Hybrid warfare, unconventional warfare... Just yesterday, we heard about European supermarkets being shut down because their freezers and refrigeration systems had been hacked. That's our food supplies that we're talking about."
The Tory leader accused ministers of having their "heads in the sand like ostriches" and criticised Chancellor John Healey, who quit as defence secretary over funding, only to delay a decision on hitting 3% of GDP on defence in last week's Budget. She said: "He resigned over that and yet they are still not funding defence to three percent of GDP. They have a plan to make a plan to get the plan. This is not serious."
Government launches Be Ready campaign
Defence Minister Luke Pollard hit back, questioning why the Tories slashed the Armed Forces during their 14 years in power. He asked: "If the Conservatives care so much about defence, why did they cut our army to its smallest size since the Napoleonic Wars and leave our armed forces, in the words of their own defence secretary, 'hollowed out and underfunded'?"
UK households have been urged to familiarise themselves with three specific items at home as part of the Government's new emergency Be Ready campaign. The initiative aims to motivate people to take straightforward steps to remain prepared should everyday services be temporarily disrupted.
What households should know
The campaign marks the first stage of a three-year effort to help households feel more equipped for events such as extreme weather, which can impact services including power, water, phones and the internet. All UK residents should know the location of the water stop cock, the gas isolation valve, and the electricity isolation switch to safely shut off utilities during an emergency.
It is also advised to stockpile three days' worth of supplies, comprising food, water, batteries, torches, baby or pet food, and various other essentials. Alongside these necessities, the Government has released an "emergency checklist" detailing steps people should take, including food, water, hygiene products, torches, batteries, communication devices, money and documents, first aid kits, medication, baby supplies, and pet supplies.
