Kemi Badenoch pledges £10bn defence spending increase funded by welfare cuts
Source Summary
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to raise UK defence spending by £10 billion by cutting the welfare bill. Labour has criticized the Conservatives' costings as 'dodgy' and not credible. Electoral Commission data for Q2 2026 shows Reform UK received £5.3m in donations, significantly more than Labour's £3.6m and the Conservatives' £2.8m, with £4m coming from billionaire Ben Delo.
Why it matters
The pledge represents a significant shift in Conservative fiscal priorities, with Labour contesting the feasibility of funding defence increases through welfare reductions.
