Kemi Badenoch takes aim at Keir Starmer 'farewell tour' as she issues demand to Andy Burnham: 'What are we waiting for?'

Kemi Badenoch has taken aim at Sir Keir Starmer's "farewell tour" following his resignation as Prime Minister.

Reacting to his departure, the Tory leader hit out at the outgoing Labour leader's timetable, asking "what are we waiting for?"

She argued: "We need to ask why he set out this timetable - what are we waiting for?

"There are critical decisions that need to be made and the Prime Minister is setting out his farewell tour while Andy Burnham wants a summer holiday."

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The Tory leader stressed that Sir Keir resigned because of his stance on defence and "national security".

She said: "It's really, really important that we ensure that the country is being governed.

"Keir Starmer has had to resign because his Defence Secretary said he was not looking after national security."

Mrs Badenoch urged Mr Burnham, who has announced his bid for Labour leadership, to bolster Britain's defences or face a general election, which she will call.

Mrs Badenoch said: "Whatever happens now, we need to make sure that national security is the number one agenda and that means that Andy Burnham needs to explain where the money to fund our defence is coming from, and he needs to cut welfare to pay for defence.

"Some urgent things really needed to be done, drilling our own oil and gas in the North Sea, backing British energy, lowering bills, getting people off welfare and into work. That's what Andy Burnham needs to be talking about right now."

The Tory leader expressed her "worry" that Mr Burnham has so far "not said anything" about his plans for Britain's defences.

She said: "The Defence Investment Plan is very urgent. There is no point in the Prime Minister going to Nato summits when he's not paying for our defence. What's Andy Burnham going to do about that? He hasn't said anything.

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"I'm quite worried that the focus is all on the Labour Party, not on the on the country. And the fact is that whoever is the leader, we still have the same problem.

"Those Labour backbenchers who are not interested in defence and who refuse to bring dow the welfare bill, what I want to see is the country's priorities being put first."

Mrs Badenoch made clear that if Mr Burnham does not set out a proper funding plan for defence, then the country should "have a general election".

She said: "If Andy Burnham is not able to fund the Defence Investment Plan, then we should have a general election.

"The reason why Keir Starmer has had to resign is because his Defence Secretary said he was not looking after national security.

"This is something which I've raised with Keir Starmer again and again. His hiring of Peter Mandelson put a national security risk in our most senior intelligence posts.

"He's not drilling our own oil and gas in the North Sea, relying on oil from elsewhere, from Russia even is a national security issue.

"Not funding a Defence Investment Plan is a national security issue, so if Andy Burnham doesn't have any answers on national security, then we should have a general election now."

Pressed on whether Mrs Badeonch would call an election "immediately", she responded: "We should have a general election if Andy Burnham is not able to set out how he is going to keep our country safe.

"I have made an offer to Andy Burnham, saying I will help him with 170 Conservative votes, because we know that the Labour Party is now the welfare party.

"Most of their backbenchers only care about welfare, not defence, so I'm happy to work with him on that."

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