Conservatives indulging in Truss-style fantasy economics for ‘Britannia Shield’

EMBARGO: 2200 Monday 5th October 2026

Responding to the Conservative Party’s plans for a ‘Britannia Shield’ defence system, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson James MacCleary MP said:

"Once again the Conservatives are indulging in Truss-style fantasy economics. £10bn would not even touch the sides for a complete UK-wide 'Iron Dome'. They either need to review their dodgy sums or come clean about which parts of the country their Patchwork Dome wouldn’t cover.

“Let’s not forget this is the party that hollowed out our armed forces for a decade, and whose disgraceful plan to fill the defence-spending black hole is based on targeted cuts to the poorest and most vulnerable children. You do not make Britain safer by pushing families into poverty."

ENDS