Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has launched a critique against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, citing a missing £5bn within the government’s newly unveiled defence investment strategy. According to Badenoch, the outgoing leader is effectively leaving a financial mess for his successor to handle. While the official plan announced on Tuesday pledges £15bn toward bolstering UK defenses, Defence Minister Luke Pollard admitted to the BBC that the incoming chancellor will be required to secure an additional £4.7bn during the autumn Budget to fully fund the proposals.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Badenoch questioned whether Andy Burnham, who is widely anticipated to take over as Prime Minister on July 20, had signed off on this strategy. In response, Sir Keir accused Badenoch of engaging in “faux outrage,” asserting that the Conservatives had historically reduced defence spending during their time in power. The Prime Minister defended the investment plan—which aims to prepare UK forces for future conflicts—as a necessary increase of £15bn by 2030, though he acknowledged that the figure remains below the £28bn reportedly requested by defence chiefs.
The Treasury has currently identified £10.3bn in savings to support the initiative, leaving the remaining £4.7bn dependent on the next Budget. Badenoch argued that the government is prioritizing welfare spending over national security, insisting that the plan as presented does not add up. She further claimed that the UK has only increased its defence spending by 0.01% relative to its allies over the past two years.
Sir Keir noted that the current commitment to increased spending is possible due to the financial “headroom” previously established by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. While Downing Street has declined to confirm whether Burnham’s successor will need to utilize this headroom to cover the shortfall, Luke Pollard stated that the next chancellor will simply have to “find the resources” in the autumn, a process he described as standard procedure. Notably, Pollard revealed that Burnham was only informed of the £4.7bn funding gap on Tuesday, and the potential future Prime Minister has not yet commented on the plan.
To avoid further borrowing, Sir Keir stated that the required funds will be generated by cutting 1% from the long-term investment budgets of other government departments. This includes £700m in savings from the Transport department, which could jeopardize road projects such as the A38 Derby Junctions and the A46 Newark Bypass. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is also expected to provide £2bn through efficiency savings. These proposed cuts have already faced backlash from local leaders, including East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward, who labeled the potential cancellations as unacceptable.
