Kemi Badenoch to pledge biggest defence spending uplift in a generation

Kemi Badenoch will pledge the "biggest uplift in defence spending in a generation," funded by dramatic welfare cuts, in a major speech on Thursday. The Conservative leader will promise to raise UK defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2029-30, contrasting her approach with Labour Prime Minister Andy Burnham's alleged failure to explain his defence plans. She proposes further welfare cuts and restoring the two-child benefit cap to fund the increase. John Healey, now Chancellor, resigned as Defence Secretary in July over Sir Keir Starmer's failure to commit to the 3% target, warning of growing danger from Russia. Badenoch will also urge scrapping the Chagos Islands deal to raise £10 billion annually.