Badenoch denies plan for ‘British Iron Dome’ – after Tories use phrase in press release

Leader also says party is ‘not out of the woods’ and she would rather have another election than form coalition with Reform

Kemi Badenoch has denied she compared a new air defence system proposed by the Conservative party to Israel’s Iron Dome, despite using the term in her press release and a newspaper article.

The Tory leader said the party’s proposed “Britannia Shield” would not be comparable to the missile defence system in Israel, which is primarily designed to counter short-range attacks.