Kemi Badenoch has been accused of insulting the armed forces after claiming British jets were 'just hanging around' in the Middle East instead of preventing Iranian missile launches. The Conservative Party leader argued that the United Kingdom should focus on stopping attacks before they are launched rather than intercepting missiles aimed at British bases.

Defence Secretary John Healey said her remarks 'insult the men and women of our Armed Forces' and called on her to apologise. Badenoch defended her stance, saying the Royal Air Force follows government orders and that ministers should take stronger action to reduce Iran’s ability to strike British interests.

The row comes amid wider political tensions, with Badenoch accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of being weak on national security and slow to respond to growing threats in the region. Senior Conservatives have backed her comments, arguing she was criticising government decision making rather than military personnel.