The Conservative Party conference in Birmingham opened its Defence Day with a performance by a Ukrainian children’s choir from St Mary’s Ukrainian School in west London. The children, many of whom are refugees from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, sang specially composed songs under the symbolic presence of a full-sized Iranian Shahed drone suspended from the ceiling of the Birmingham Symphony Hall.

The event underscored the party’s central message about the precariousness of global security and the need for enhanced national defence. Central to the Conservatives’ pitch was the announcement of a proposed £10 billion missile and drone defence initiative termed the “Britannia Shield,” which has been described by party officials as a British equivalent to Israel’s Iron Dome system. However, Kemi Badenoch, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, criticized media comparisons of the scheme to the Iron Dome, despite having introduced the plan in similar terms earlier. She clarified to the BBC’s Today programme that the government was “not building the Iron Dome,” although debate about the proper characterization of the defence system continued.

The conference programme featured an interview with historian Niall Ferguson, who recently visited Kyiv and warned of growing global tensions. Ferguson suggested the world might be on a trajectory toward another major conflict, a sentiment that contributed to a tense atmosphere reinforced by the looming image of the Iranian drone above the stage.

Tom Tugendhat, the newly appointed shadow foreign secretary, addressed the audience in Birmingham, acknowledging his return to the conference after two years. Tugendhat, known for shifting policy positions, spoke on the risks facing Britain and international relations, touching briefly on topics such as international courts and geopolitical security concerns. He criticized the Reform UK party by alleging links to secretive international dealings, though the claim drew puzzled reactions from observers.

Additional contributions came from Helen Whately, shadow work and pensions secretary, who addressed social policy issues within the context of national security. Whately expressed concern about changing demographics among benefit claimants compared with military personnel, highlighting the complexities of social welfare in modern Britain.

The day concluded with remarks from James Cartlidge, shadow defence secretary, who emphasized the limitations of hope in confronting threats like Iranian drones. His statement underscored a key Conservative argument for investing in advanced defence capabilities.

The staging and tone of the conference reflected the party’s focus on security challenges amid a fraught geopolitical landscape, projecting urgency and the need for robust policies to address emerging threats.