Badenoch accuses Burnham of ‘fiddling’ while Putin threatens to burn Europe
Badenoch says the UK can fund stronger defence by cutting welfare, while ministers warn the plan could drive up homelessness.
- Tory leader Kemi Badenoch proposed raising defence spending to 3% by 2030 through a £4 billion housing benefit cap, accusing Prime Minister Andy Burnham of "fiddling while Europe is at risk of burning."
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham rejected the proposal, insisting he is committed to military funding without using "crude cuts" to social security, stating national security cannot "come at the expense of social security."
- Former chief of the general staff Lord Dannatt warned the government is "playing fast and loose with the nation's security," while Admiral Lord West described Britain's military as in "quite a parlous state."
- Questioning the credentials of Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, Mrs Badenoch claimed the Prime Minister's refusal to cut welfare sends a "dangerous" message "heard loud and clear in Moscow as well as Manchester."
- Facing pressure to reach 3.5%, the UK government currently budgets for 2.7% GDP defence spending by 2027-28, while Badenoch highlighted that leaders in France and Poland are taking action against the growing Russian threat.
8 Articles
8 Articles
Evening Standard
Badenoch accuses Burnham of ‘fiddling’ while Putin threatens to burn Europe
The Tory leader has urged the Prime Minister to cut welfare spending to fund defence.
Andy Burnham accused of sending 'dangerous message' to Vladimir Putin as Russia 'threatens to burn Europe'
Andy Burnham has been accused of sending a "dangerous message" to Vladimir Putin by refusing to cut welfare spending to fund defence.Kemi Badenoch delivered a scathing indictment of the Prime Minister's approach to Britain's defence spending amid fears the Russian President is eyeing up ramping up his war across Europe. “Our Government is fiddling while Europe is at risk of burning," the Tory leader fumed. "In France and Poland, leaders are taki…
Putin threatens Europe with retaliation, accuses Kyiv of being unwilling to negotiate, calls strengthening nuclear triad priority
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin stated that Russia will respond to the actions of European countries which, according to him, are preparing for war with Russia, and also accused the Ukrainian authorities of allegedly being unwilling to resume negotiations.
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