Badenoch accuses Burnham of fiddling over defence spending

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of "fiddling while Europe is at risk of burning," launching a sharp political attack over the government's defence spending plans amid growing concerns about Russian aggression. In a speech reported on September 20, Badenoch argued that the UK government is failing to act decisively as Russia intensifies hybrid warfare against Western allies, including cyber attacks, drone incursions, and threats to critical infrastructure. Badenoch proposed increasing UK defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030, a target she said would be funded by capping housing benefit to raise £4 billion. She criticised Burnham for insisting that national security cannot come at the expense of social security, warning that such a stance sends "a dangerous message" that is "heard loud and clear in Moscow as well as Manchester." The government has defended its current spending plans. A Foreign Office spokesperson stated that the UK has taken "tough action" against Russia, including increasing defence spending, expelling intelligence officers, and sanctioning the GRU. The government has budgeted to raise defence spending to 2.