Kemi Badenoch Pledges £10bn Britannia Shield Missile Defence System
· World · The Independent, BBC News
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK Conservative Party, announced a £10 billion missile and drone defence system called Britannia Shield to protect the UK from incoming attacks. She made the pledge on the third day of the party's annual conference in Birmingham, criticizing Labour for failing to keep the country safe. The system would include radar, command and control, interceptor missiles, and counter-drone capabilities, modelled on Israel's Iron Dome. Badenoch aims to have the system fully operational by the end of the Conservatives' first term if elected, and to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 through welfare reforms. Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge is expected to reveal further details, including a five-year timeline for minimum deployable capability. The UK defence committee previously warned that Britain has 'next to nothing' in integrated air and missile defences.
Why it matters
The proposal signals a major shift in UK defence policy under Conservative leadership, directly impacting national security planning and public spending priorities. If implemented, it would alter defence procurement and potentially reshape the UK's military posture against evolving aerial threats.
Read the original report — The Independent
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