Badenoch warns Trump represents the new US normal and vows to increase UK army by 20,000
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has vowed to increase the British army by 20,000 men, warning that any replacement for Donald Trump in the White House would continue his military policies away from European defence.
Speaking to the London Defense Conference, Ms Badenoch admitted she was “appalled” by the language used by President Trump but warned that the idea of a European defense without US intervention was “a fairy tale”.
It came as the Conservatives promised “the largest net increase in British troop numbers under any government since the Second World War” if the army returned to power with a total increase of 20,000 men.
His speech comes amid questions over Keir Starmer’s plans to increase defense spending to 5 per cent and concerns over his government’s failure to provide details of its Defense Investment Plan.
This is also the case with King Henry III. It comes just before Charles and Queen Camilla head to the US at the end of April for a state visit that many have called for to be cancelled.
Sir Keir said Trump’s threat to “destroy an entire civilization” with war against Iran had already been criticized by the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, who questioned the president’s values.
Ms Badenoch said: “Many people find President Trump’s actions reprehensible. They find his words unstatesmanlike, his treatment of his allies unnecessarily provocative.”
“I must say that I, too, am appalled by some of the president’s recent social media posts and comments to the press. Perhaps his successor will return to more traditional diplomacy.”
But he cautioned against hopes that a change in the White House would also lead to a change in policy.
“If we comfort ourselves with these ideas, we miss the fundamental lesson that Trump’s presidency is a continuation, not the beginning, of a shift in American outlook and behavior.
“For decades, the United States has complained, at least privately, that Europe is not doing its part on defense.
“And the ‘Special Relationship’ wasn’t always as special as we thought. Ronald Reagan invaded Grenada without consulting us, and President Biden did the same when withdrawing from Afghanistan.
“President Trump may be unorthodox in the way he speaks to us, but there are forces here far greater than his presidency.
“The mirror it holds up to Europe, which we are uncomfortable looking at, shows us that we cannot properly defend ourselves without the United States. Europe’s strategic autonomy is now a fairy tale.”
He continued: “We must reassert ourselves as a serious power in the world. We must show our allies what we bring to the table and our enemies that we are ready to defend ourselves.”
“If we don’t do this… we won’t have any say in whatever happens next.”
The Tory leader said this would mean a reversal of the post-Cold War policy of reducing the size of the UK military.
Promising the biggest net increase in the size of the military since World War II, he promised to redirect cash from welfare benefits to defence.
He said: “I have announced that the next Conservative government will reintroduce the two-child benefit limit and spend that money on defence.
“This will fund the largest net increase in British troops under any government since the Second World War.
“We will use this money to recruit 6,000 regular soldiers and 14,000 reservists and cover their accommodation and equipment costs.
“I said we would reallocate £17bn from the Government’s R&D and Ed Miliband’s disastrous net zero projects to create a new sovereign defense fund.
“This fund will invest in British defense start-ups, protect our supply chains and deliver drone technology to our armed forces, ensuring our army, navy and air force can fight today’s war. “This isn’t 3 per cent yet, but it’s a start.
“We will find more savings until we get there.”
Luke Pollard, Labour’s defense preparedness and industry minister, responded: “Kemi Badenoch’s message is: The Conservatives have emptied Britain’s defenses, now put us back in charge. “No one will take this seriously.
“If he were Prime Minister today, Britain would now be in a war for which he had no plan. He wanted to rush in without considering the consequences. That says all you need to know about his judgment on defense and foreign policy. And paying for more troops by driving children into poverty is not a credible plan.”
“Keir Starmer has made the right call to ensure Britain is not dragged into offensive action while supporting our allies in the region. The Labor Government is delivering the biggest sustainable increase in defense spending since the end of the Cold War, with every pound of our defense support serving British businesses, British workers and British national security.”
