Badenoch calls for PM to resign if he cannot prove defence plan protects UK

Plans to increase defence spending over the long-term were thrown into disarray last week when John Healey resigned as defence secretary.

Mr Healey chose to leave the Government because the defence investment plan (Dip) fell short of what was asked for by defence chiefs.

After months of wrangling, the long-delayed plan laid out some £13.5 billion of spending, rather than the £28 billion over four years which officials said was needed to transform Britain’s armed forces into a future-proofed military.

Following the appointment of new Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis, there is not expected to be any more money for the Dip, with any changes likely to be over where funding is allocated rather than the amount of cash available.

Speaking at a central London press conference on Monday, Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch said the plan should not now be rushed to address concerns publicly aired by Mr Healey and his colleagues who resigned from Government last week.

“There are three tests which must be met if the plan is to protect our national security,” Mrs Badenoch said.

The first test Mrs Badenoch laid out was funding: that Britain should raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030, and as a minimum provide the £28 billion over four years asked for by defence chiefs.

The Conservative leader’s second test was “readiness”, as she insisted that spending cannot be “backloaded” into the next Parliament.

Capability was her third test, with Mrs Badenoch telling the press conference: “The defence investment plan should equip Britain with a more lethal and operationally effective armed forces with a mixture of traditional equipment and modern tech such as drones and counter drones.”

She added: “If the Prime Minister is unable to provide the leadership within his Cabinet to deliver a defence investment plan that meets these three tests, he should resign now and make way for a leader who can.”

Elsewhere, Mrs Badenoch referenced the Government’s difficulties in passing reforms aimed at cutting the welfare Bill last summer, which were scuppered by Labour MPs concerned about their impact on disabled people.

She told the press conference: “My party is going to work with any Labour leader in the national interest to cut the benefits bill to pay for defence.

“I have made an offer of working together repeatedly for well over a year since February 2025 because I could see what needed to be done.

“Some things are too important for party politics, but if the Prime Minister won’t accept my offer, I will make the same offer today to Andy Burnham.”

Mrs Badenoch wrote over the weekend to Sir Keir’s leadership rivals to urge them to go further than the Government had in raising defence spending.

But she warned on Monday that “changing leader won’t solve the problem of those backbenchers” who oppose the Government’s plans, adding: “That is why I am offering 115 Conservative votes in Parliament for welfare reforms, 116 if you count my name as well.”

The Conservative leader did however rule out one area of welfare spending which she would not seek to overhaul to meet Britain’s defence needs.

Asked whether she would scrap the state pension triple lock to fund defence, Mrs Badenoch replied: “You know very well that every single time I’m asked this question, I say that the triple lock is not where the issue is.

“Our welfare bill… we have a welfare plan till 2031. We do not have a defence investment plan for next year.

“If we get people off welfare and into work, it is a double whammy. We’re not paying their benefits, and they are paying more tax and helping to grow the economy.”

She also told reporters she would not be “in favour of conscription”, when asked whether she would revive a 2024 Conservative manifesto policy to reintroduce national service.

Mrs Badenoch said: “If we don’t have a defence investment plan, if we don’t have the money, then how are we talking about asking young people to join the Army on a mandatory basis?”

Downing Street faced questions about when the Dip would now be published following last week’s political turmoil.

A No 10 spokeswoman said: “It’s being finalised with the new Defence Secretary and it will be published in due course and that work is ongoing and continuing at pace.”

Mrs Badenoch will further press the Government on the defence investment plan in the Commons, where she is due to ask an urgent question on the matter on Monday afternoon.