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Badenoch accuses Burnham government of ‘excessive focus’ on Israel
Tory leader adds: 'There are British citizens alive today because of the intelligence that Israel gave us'
Kemi Badenoch has accused Andy Burnham’s government of having an “excessive focus on what’s going on in Israel and Palestine” in order to appease Labour backbenchers.
The Conservative leader also criticised the new Prime Minister, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, claiming they all have “the wrong priorities.”
She added: “There are British citizens alive today because of the intelligence that Israel gave us.”
At a press conference in which she described the new PM’s ambitions as “too small” for a country facing “bigger, long-term problems,” Badenoch was asked whether she believed Burnham had a “fixation” with Israel.
She was also questioned about comments made by Streeting, who yesterday suggested that Israel’s military had “fallen short” of standards set by the UK military in both Gaza and the West Bank.
She responded: “I think that, yet again, this is a government—a prime minister, a defence secretary, and even a foreign secretary—that have the wrong priorities.
“We’ve just heard about how AI broke out of its test, hacked into secure servers, stole data, and effectively destroyed the test it was being put under. That worries me. This excessive focus on what’s going on in Israel and Palestine is because that’s what their backbenchers care about.”
Commenting further after the Defence Secretary’s remarks about the standards set by the IDF, Badenoch said: “I have had my security briefings.
“I remember, as Trade Secretary, how important the relationship with Israel was, whether people like it or not.
“There are British citizens alive today because of the intelligence that Israel gave us.
“I am very worried about a lack of cooperation because this government wants to please its backbenchers. They need to do what is right for the country, not what is right for the Labour Party.
“Right now, Andy Burnham seems to be managing the country for the Labour Party, not for the United Kingdom, and not for the people of the United Kingdom. I think that’s completely wrong.”
Yui Mok/PA Wire
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Yui Mok
Commenting on Manchester’s economic success during Burnham’s time as regional mayor, Badenoch also noted that the city’s growth was inspired by the earlier work of the late Howard Bernstein, former chief executive of Manchester City Council, who was responsible for setting development goals and encouraging investment.
When further questioned by journalists, Badenoch refused to confirm or deny claims that she had blocked former Tory minister Grant Shapps from standing as a candidate for the party at the next election.
“This is a very different party from 2024,” Badenoch said when asked about the decision to reject Shapps’s application.
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