UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch locked horns in a heated exchange during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, with Starmer mocking Badenoch’s stance on defence policy.
In a sharp retort, he dismissed her influence on his government’s decision-making, saying, “She has appointed herself saviour of Western civilisation in a desperate search for relevance.”
The clash followed Starmer’s announcement on Tuesday that the UK would reallocate aid funds to bolster military spending, aiming for 2.5 percent of GDP by 2027—an increase of £13.4 billion. The move, which would see the country’s aid budget shrink from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent of gross national income, comes as Britain aligns its defence priorities with US-led efforts to engage Russia over the war in Ukraine.
Badenoch, however, challenged the figures, pointing out that inflation-adjusted calculations from Defence Secretary John Healey suggested the actual increase might be closer to £6 billion. She also pressed Starmer on whether any of the redirected funds would contribute to the Chagos Islands deal, a multi-billion-pound agreement that has drawn scrutiny.
According to a report by The Cable, Starmer stood firm, stating that the defence boost was primarily aimed at strengthening the UK’s security in Europe.
He also defended the Chagos Islands agreement, calling it “extremely important” for both British and US security interests. He brushed off Badenoch’s claim that he had taken inspiration from her policy proposals, insisting she had no influence on his decision-making.
