Watch: Tory leader Kemi Badenoch advocates putting Britain first in foreign policy speech

Watch as Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch stressed the importance of putting Britain first in a major foreign policy speech on Tuesday (25 February).

Ms Badenoch also warned that there will be “painful decisions on government spending” when it comes to funding defence.

In the address on Tuesday, she also spoke of the “need to disengage” from international bodies if they are “taken over by activists or by autocratic regimes like China or Russia”.

The Conservative leader said that “our foreign policy should seek to support our national interest” and “sovereignty must be at the core of our foreign policy”.

She added: “Our national interest is first and foremost to protect our country, to strengthen our country, and to look after ourselves. That means a strong military and a strong economy.

“That is not a selfish objective, it is realism – because you cannot help others if you cannot help yourself. Strengthening Britain must be the principal objective at the heart of everything we do.”

The speech – delivered a day after the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – also touched on defence, as Ms Badenoch said “we must do what it takes to protect Britain”.