Badenoch to speak to BBC as Tories pledge £10bn ‘British Iron Dome’ air defence system

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch will speak to BBC Breakfast at 07:30 BST and Radio 4's Today programme at 08:10 BST – follow along here or watch live at the top of this page

The Tories are holding their party conference in Birmingham this week, with Badenoch set to give her keynote speech on Wednesday

It comes as Conservatives have pledged to invest £10bn in a "British Iron Dome" air defence system if they win the next general election

Other policies announced by the party since the conference started include a promise to build 50,000 new prison places and new rules for young people claiming benefits

Badenoch has gone into this year's conference "with her own position secure in the party", writes Laura Kuenssberg

The "Britannia Shield" isn't the only policy the Conservatives have announced in recent weeks to earmark what they'd do if the party returned to government.

Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The UK's existing Sky Sabre air defence system, seen in 2022 at the Royal Artillery's change of colours parade at Baker Barracks, Thorney Island

The Conservatives have pledged to invest £10bn in a new missile and drone defence system to defend the UK if they win the next general election.

The party says the so-called "Britannia Shield" would provide an integrated network of radar, command and control systems, as well as interceptor missiles.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge is expected to describe the pledge as "the most significant upgrade to UK air defence for generations" when he delivers a speech at the Conservative Party conference later today.

The Tories have described their plans as "a British 'Iron Dome'" – a reference to Israel's air defence system.

The party says it will be capable of defending the UK's critical national infrastructure, military bases and sovereign territories from sophisticated threats.

But Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has said the Tories had an "abysmal record" of defending Britain during their 14 years in power, adding: "They owe Britain an apology, not another lecture."

Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing Image source, EPA/ShutterstockKemi Badenoch is kicking off day three of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham with a morning media run.

The opposition leader has vowed her party is renewed and different from the one that lost the 2024 general election in a historic defeat.

There has been a flurry of new policy announcements from the Tories in recent days, including scrapping the £100,000 net income threshold on free childcare, building an extra 50,000 prison places, and new work requirements for under-25s claiming benefits.

The party is also set to share more details about their plan to invest £10bn in a new missile and drone defence system – the so-called "Britannia Shield". We'll have more on this policy in our next post.

Badenoch will be speaking to BBC Breakfast at 07:30 BST, and to Radio 4's Today programme at 08:10