UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a sharp response to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch on Wednesday, rejecting her claim that he had acted on her advice to cut the aid budget.
He also took a jab at her political stance, referring to her as a “self-appointed savior of Western civilization,” which seemed to criticize her rhetoric. During a plenary session, Badenoch suggested that Starmer had accepted her recommendation to reduce aid spending while questioning inconsistencies in the government’s defense budget figures.
“Over the weekend, I advised the Prime Minister to cut the aid budget, and I am pleased that he accepted my advice. It’s the fastest response I’ve ever received from him,” Ms. Badenoch stated. She added, “However, he announced £13.4 billion of additional defense spending yesterday.
This morning, his defense secretary claimed the increase is only £6 billion. Which figure is correct?” In response, Starmer categorically denied being influenced by Badenoch’s suggestion, using sarcasm to dismiss her claim. “I’m going to have to let the leader of the opposition down gently.
She didn’t factor into my thinking at all. I was so busy over the weekend that I didn’t even see her proposal,” he remarked.
Starmer further criticized her by saying, “She’s appointed herself, I think, as the savior of Western civilization. It’s a desperate search for relevance.
If you compare the figures for this financial year and those for the financial year 27/28, there’s a £13.4 billion increase—the largest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War.” His remarks prompted laughter from MPs in the House, and Badenoch was seen smiling at the exchange.
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