The United States pulled its Iran attack bombers out of Britain due to the lack of adequate air defences, Kemi Badenoch suggested today as she unveiled Tory plans for a 'Britannia Shield'.
uncertain
she → pull → Shield
The Conservative leader announced plans for a £10billion system to guard cities, power plants and Army bases from missiles and drones fired by enemies such as Russia or Iran.
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leader → announce → Russia
The Tories say it is needed because Labour – which has still not set out how it will reach its target of spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030 – is failing to do enough to guarantee the security of the UK, its overseas territories and bases in an increasingly hostile world.
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it → say → world
The announcement came after the US Air Force pulled its B1 bombers out of RAF Fairford and ordered them to retreat to the United States over reported fears of drone attacks.
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Force → come → attacks
Pentagon officials were allegedly worried about a copycat attack on RAF Fairford by Iran similar to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb in June 2025 which destroyed ten Russian aircraft.
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which → destroy → aircraft
Writing in the Sun today Ms Badenoch said: 'Is it any wonder the US are pulling their bombers out of RAF Fairford?
'
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US → write → Fairford
They don't believe the Government is doing what's necessary to defend our country from hostile states.'
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what → believe → states
Kemi Badenoch has announced plans for a £10billion system, dubbed Britannia Shield, to guard cities, power plants and Army bases from missiles and drones (the Tory leader is pictured on Sunday)
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leader → announce → Sunday
The Conservatives say Labour is not doing nearly enough to guarantee the security of the United Kingdom (Prime Minister Andy Burnham is pictured last month)
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Burnham → say → Kingdom
Britannia Shield would provide a network of radar, command and control systems, interceptors and counter-drone capabilities.
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Shield → provide → radar
Mrs Badenoch said the system would be different from Israel's Iron Dome, after the Tories initially likened their plans to the Israeli defence programme.
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Tories → say → programme
The world will not wait for Britain to get ready.
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Britain → wait → ?
War has returned to Europe.
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War → return → Europe
Missiles and drones are transforming warfare in the Middle East,' she said.
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she → transform → East
'Cheap weapons can now threaten cities, military bases and critical infrastructure in ways that would have sounded like science fiction a generation ago.'
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that → threaten → fiction
There were fresh warnings on Monday that President Vladimir Putin is putting lives at risk in Europe as Russian drones and missiles menaced Moldova.
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drones → be → Moldova
Projectiles fired during an attack on Ukraine hit a passenger bus across the border just days after drones entered the country's airspace and scattered debris.
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drones → fire → debris
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said: 'Europe has seen a spike in the Russian hybrid attacks and sabotage attempts and airspace violations in recent weeks.
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Europe → say → weeks
Russian missiles and drones violated Moldovan airspace again over the weekend.
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missiles → violate → weekend
The Tories, who have already pledged to increase defence spending by £10billion a year by cutting welfare, say their Integrated Air and Missile Defence system could be deployed within five years.
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system → pledge → years
Tory defence spokesman James Cartlidge, who will set out details in his speech to the party's conference in Birmingham on Tuesday, added: 'With a £10billion budget, this would be one of Britain's most significant military programmes since the Cold War.
'
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this → set → War
But one that is totally necessary because of the threats we face.
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we → face → threats
The promise comes after a report by the Commons defence committee last year highlighted warnings that Britain has 'next to nothing' in air defences compared with its allies.
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Britain → come → allies
It comes after fresh warnings were issued on Monday when Russian drones menaced Moldova, a nation which was once a part of the Soviet Union (Vladimir Putin is pictured)
A US B-1 bomber leaves RAF Fairford on Sunday as the US withdraws its aircraft from the base
The threats to the country were illustrated on Monday as the US dramatically withdrew its long-range bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire over fears of an Iranian plot against the base.
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US → come → base
Russian drones have previously been sighted over the base as well as RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.
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drones → sight → Suffolk
Just last week the Kremlin warned that it would retaliate with 'nuclear weapons' if Britain or Nato took military action against its territory.
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Britain → warn → territory
Over the summer Moscow threatened to target UK factories in response to Government support for Ukraine.
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Moscow → threaten → Ukraine
Meanwhile, intelligence services in Germany warned that the Kremlin's 'shadow war' against Europe is entering a more dangerous phase.
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war → warn → phase
Iran is also seen as a growing threat after drones launched by its proxies hit RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and Tehran fired missiles at the Chagos islands, home to the crucial joint UK-US Diego Garcia military base.
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Tehran → see → base
The Tories' Britannia Shield is inspired by Israel's multibillion-dollar Iron Dome, which has proved highly effective since 2011.
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which → inspire → 2011
It is credited with helping to intercept hundreds of missiles and drones fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen and from as far away as Iran.
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It → credit → Iran
Replicating the system here would be difficult, however, because the UK's landmass is 11 times greater and it has many more large cities.
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it → replicate → cities
At a Tory conference on Tuesday, Labour will be accused of dithering and delay over defence funding.
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Labour → accuse → funding
A Labour spokesman insisted: 'Andy Burnham's Labour Government is delivering the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.
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Government → insist → War
Keeping Britain safe is the first priority of this Government.'
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Keeping → keep → Government
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