Kemi Badenoch has warned that Britain could be at war with Russia within four years and pledged to fund a major boost in defence spending by cutting welfare spending, arguing that "conflict is coming, we must act now". The Conservative leader used a speech to criticise Prime Minister Andy Burnham's focus on domestic issues over defence, saying he "cannot defend us by capping bus fares", and challenged him to call an early general election if he cannot find the money to properly arm Britain. This comes amid growing pressure on Burnham from within his own party, with some MPs warning he must offer more than rhetoric on national security.

Badenoch's plans include reinstating the two-child benefit cap recently scrapped by Labour and reducing disability benefits, alongside reforming housing benefit, ending VAT exemptions on Motability cars and scrapping the Chagos Islands deal. The Conservatives say these measures would raise roughly £8.3 billion and fund a £10 billion annual increase in defence spending, meeting a target of 3% of GDP by 2030. Labour's Tan Dhesi accused Burnham of "kicking the can down the road" on defence funding, while the Liberal Democrats criticised the Tories for blaming a defence spending "black hole" on the poorest and most vulnerable children.