Kemi Badenoch will advocate putting British interests first and say it is “not a selfish objective” to want to “strengthen our country and to look after ourselves”, as she delivers a speech on foreign policy. The Conservative leader will also warn that there will be “painful decisions on government spending” when it comes to funding defence.
In the address on Tuesday, Mrs Badenoch will also advocate a “need to disengage” from international bodies if they are “taken over by activists or by autocratic regimes like China or Russia”. Her speech comes with diplomacy high on the agenda as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer heads to Washington this week, where he is expected to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine while also hoping to contain a growing transatlantic rift.
Mrs Badenoch will say that “our foreign policy should seek to support our national interest” and “sovereignty must be at the core of our foreign policy”. “A nation state’s primary purpose is to defend its borders, its values and its people,” she is expected to say.
“Our national interest is first and foremost to protect our country, to strengthen our country, and to look after ourselves. That means a strong military and a strong economy. “That is not a selfish objective, it is realism – because you cannot help others if you cannot help yourself. Strengthening Britain must be the principal objective at the heart of everything we do.”.
She is also expected to say: “International law should not become a tool for NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and other critics to seek to advance an activist political agenda through international bodies and our domestic courts. “And if international bodies are taken over by activists, or by autocratic regimes like China or Russia, we must use our influence to stop them. And if that fails, we will need to disengage.”.
The speech – due to be delivered a day after the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – will also touch on defence, as Mrs Badenoch will say “we must do what it takes to protect Britain”. “That means not just our independent nuclear deterrent, but also the ability to protect our critical national infrastructure – at home and under the sea. It means having the capability required to contribute meaningfully to Nato-led deterrence in Europe, and the new technologies for the battles of tomorrow.”.
US President Donald Trump has been putting pressure on European Nato allies to increase their defence spending and shoulder more of the burden of security on the continent. However, Mrs Badenonch is to warn that voters will not back plans if they are seen to be pitching public services against defence spending.
“If we approach this challenge as a zero-sum game – as a simple choice between defence spending and public services – we will struggle to persuade the public to back it,” the Tory leader will say. “And there will be painful decisions on government spending. Any country that spends more interest on its debt than on defence, as the UK does today, is destined for weakness.”.
Sir Keir, on his trip to Washington, is expected to discuss his calls for a US “backstop” to a peace agreement in Ukraine, as well as defence spending. The visit will mark a critical moment for his leadership as he seeks to balance support for Kyiv with keeping the White House on side, and the Prime Minister is under pressure to use the trip to confirm a timeline to raise UK defence spending to 2.5% of national income.
Labour accused Mrs Badenoch of being “part of a Conservative government which hollowed out our armed forces, made us more reliant on Putin for our energy needs and diminished Britain’s standing on the world stage”. A spokesperson added: “We will always work constructively with opposition parties in the national interest but the Conservatives must take responsibility for their record over 14 years of government.”.
