Politics · United Kingdom · 4 hrs ago
Badenoch criticises Labour’s defence policy at rally aboard HMS Wellington
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch held a rally aboard HMS Wellington on the Thames in London.
The retired warship was chosen as a reminder of a time when, she said, Britain took defence seriously.
She accused the Labour government of complacency on defence and called it unserious.
Badenoch also argued that schools should not teach Britain’s history as one of unique evil, and said the country should be proud of its cultural inheritance.
She defended the Royal Navy’s role in ending slavery as she criticised Labour’s response to Caribbean calls for reparations.
She also urged Nigel Farage to speak up for Ukraine and criticised gender-identity politics.
The rally included support for a proposed Britannia Shield, a defence idea raised by the Conservatives, though the event coverage gave no full account of its plans.
Kemi Badenoch criticised Labour’s defence policy at a rally aboard HMS Wellington in London on 3 November 2026.
She described the government as complacent on defence and called it “a student-union government”.
Badenoch said the retired ship was chosen as a reminder of when Britain took defence seriously.
She also defended Britain’s history and criticised the teaching of what she called a history of “unique evil”.
The Daily Mail portrayed the rally as forceful, while the Guardian published a sharply critical account of Badenoch’s speech and the venue.
- Who
- Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, spoke at the rally.
- What
- She criticised Labour’s defence policy and spoke about the teaching of history.
- When
- 3 November 2026.
- Where
- Aboard HMS Wellington, moored on London’s Embankment.
- Why
- Badenoch said the ship was chosen as a reminder of when Britain took defence seriously.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Rally date
- 3 November 2026
- Venue
- HMS Wellington, London’s Embankment
- Ship type
- Retired Grimsby-class sloop
- Badenoch’s role
- Conservative leader
- Defense spokesperson
- James Cartlidge, Shadow Defence Secretary
2 sources
What people are saying
This Labour government is a student-union government. It is not serious.
a reminder of when Britain took defence seriously
a history of unique evil
Why have I brought you here?