Starmer Faces Defence Spending Clash with Badenoch at PMQs

In a tense session of Prime Minister’s Questions on 10 October 2026, Sir Keir Starmer confronted Conservative Minister Kemi Badenoch over Britain’s defence budget. The debate underscored the widening rift between the new Labour government and the opposition, centring on how to fund the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) delayed investment plan.

Badenoch accused the prime minister of “dithering” on funding, arguing that the government’s hesitancy stemmed from the Labour party’s reluctance to cut what it calls “bloated” welfare spending. She demanded a clear commitment that no additional taxes would be raised to finance the extra £28 billion the MoD has requested over the next four years.

Mr. Starmer replied that the defence investment plan would be released before the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey next month and that the current government had “failed the armed forces” during the previous 14‑year tenure of the Conservatives. He pointed to cuts in the Navy’s minesweeping capabilities and missed Army recruitment targets as evidence of that failure.

The MoD’s budget is slated to rise by 3.6 % in real terms by 2029. Within the last year, its equipment plan has been forecast to exceed the budget by £16.9 billion, largely due to rising nuclear maintenance costs. The plan, which replaces the previous decade‑long equipment schedules, is expected to detail how the additional money will be raised and spent.

Deputy Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle warned that publishing the plan outside of Westminster would be a “disgrace” and a “kick in the face” to MPs. He stressed the importance of immediate parliamentary scrutiny, especially because the chamber holds the power to question ministers freely.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves had earlier stated that borrowing “cannot always be the answer,” prompting Badenoch to insist the government must rule out tax increases. Starmer's remarks highlighted the cabinet’s internal battle, with ministers seeking a 1 % cut in long‑term investment budgets to meet the extra defence spending.

As the session concluded, the debate left clear that while Starmer’s government aims to re‑invest in Britain’s strategic capabilities, the means of achieving that objective remain contested. Whether the promised defence investment plan will be unveiled soon, and how it will be financed, will shape the political narrative for weeks to come.

In the broader context, this clash reflects a critical moment for UK politics: the balance between military preparedness, fiscal responsibility, and the political pressures that accompany both.