UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave a quick response to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch on Wednesday, rejecting her claim that he had followed her advice on cutting the aid budget. In a pointed critique of her political stance, he referred to her as a “self-appointed saviour of Western civilisation,” seemingly mocking her rhetoric.
During the plenary session, Badenoch asserted that Starmer had acted on her suggestion to reduce aid spending while also questioning inconsistencies in the government’s defence budget figures.
“Over the weekend I suggested to the prime minister that he cut the aid budget, and I am pleased that he accepted my advice. It’s the fastest response I’ve ever had from the prime minister,” Ms Badenoch said.
She further pressed the government on defence spending, stating, “However, he announced £13.4 billion of additional defence spending yesterday. This morning, his defence secretary said the uplift is only £6bn. Which is the correct figure?”
In response, Starmer firmly dismissed her assertion, responding with sarcasm.
“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,” he remarked.
Doubling down on his critique, Starmer added, “She’s appointed herself, I think, the saviour of Western civilisation. It’s a desperate search for relevance. If you take the numbers for this financial year, and then the numbers for financial year 27/28, that’s a £13.4bn increase—the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.”
His remarks prompted laughter from MPs on the House floor, with Badenoch herself seen smiling at the exchange.
