Badenoch hits Starmer govt over lack of war preparedness plan

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Leader of the UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has warned that Britain is unprepared to respond effectively to rising global security threats, citing the absence of a clear defence strategy.

In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday, Badenoch said the UK government lacked a concrete plan to address ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, which she noted are already impacting households across the country.

“I am not going to lie to you, we are not ready, our government literally does not have a plan,” she said, pointing to gaps in procurement of military equipment, implementation of the Strategic Defence Review and broader rearmament efforts.

She criticised the administration of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, alleging uncertainty over how defence programmes would be funded.

“There is no plan for how the government is going to buy the equipment, weapons and munitions. The reason there’s no plan is because they have no idea how they are going to pay for it,” Badenoch added.

The opposition leader said she had raised the issue during Prime Minister’s Questions, arguing that Britain must take decisive steps to strengthen its defence posture amid growing geopolitical tensions.

She urged the government to make “tough choices” to ensure national security and long-term stability.