Prime Minister’s Questions turned fiery as Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch clashed over defence spending, with Badenoch branding the PM “patronising” in a tense exchange.
After a two-week break, the pair wasted no time in throwing jabs, with Badenoch kicking things off with a cheeky dig at Starmer’s latest budget move. Referring to his decision to boost defence spending by cutting foreign aid, she joked:
“Over the weekend, I suggested to the Prime Minister that he cut the aid budget, and I’m pleased he accepted my advice. Mr Speaker, it’s the fastest response I’ve ever had from the Prime Minister!”
But Starmer wasn’t having it. He dismissed the idea that she had any influence on his decision, firing back: “I’m going to have to let the leader of the opposition down gently, she didn’t feature in my thinking at all! I was so busy over the weekend I didn’t even see her proposal—I think she’s appointed herself saviour of Western civilisation in a desperate search for relevance.”
His response had Labour MPs roaring with laughter, while Badenoch pressed on, demanding clarity on how much extra would actually be spent on defence. Despite Starmer insisting that his announcement meant a £13.4 billion cash increase, critics, including the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), have accused him of “fiddling the figures”.
Unimpressed with his response, Badenoch repeated the question, pointing out that the numbers didn’t quite add up. But Starmer, looking increasingly frustrated, refused to budge:
“We went through this two weeks ago—going over the same question over and over again. If you take the financial year this year and then take the financial year for 2028, the difference between the two is £13.4 billion. That’s the same answer. If she asks again, I’ll give the same answer again.”
Badenoch wasn’t backing down, snapping back: “Someone needs to tell the Prime Minister that being patronising is not a substitute for answering questions! He hasn’t answered. What he has said is different to what he said yesterday. We’re still not clear where the money is coming from.”
The fiery exchange was the latest in an ongoing battle over defence funding, with Badenoch and others pushing for clarity on whether the increase is truly new money or simply a reshuffle of existing funds.
With tensions clearly running high, Starmer’s upcoming visit to the US—where Ukraine and global defence spending will be key discussion points—will likely see even more pressure mounting on his government to provide answers.
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