Sir Keir Starmer’s foreign aid cuts have put Britain’s international reputation and credibility at risk, the government has admitted.
The prime minister’s decision to slash development spending from 0.5 per cent of GDP to 0.3 per cent – around £6bn – has sparked alarm among leaders in Africa and around the world, a Foreign Office document has revealed.
Responses to David Lammy’s “new approach to Africa” consultation show among high commissioners and ambassadors in 51 countries – including 40 in Africa – concerns were raised about the implications of international aid cuts “on the UK’s reputation and credibility”.
And, after international development minister Baroness Jennifer Chapman admitted the aid cuts will hit education programmes, the consultation found concerns among African leaders that “the largest return on investment [through aid spending] in terms of equity is in basic education”.
The consultation was aimed at building a new relationship between the UK and Africa “rooted in mutual respect, and reflecting how Africa, the UK and the world have changed”.
As well as the high commissions in Africa and 11 other countries, it consulted more than 90 non-governmental organisations, academics and think tanks.
The responses fuelled concerns that Sir Keir’s decision to slash the aid budget – to fund an increase in Britain’s defence spending – will prove a false economy and erode Britain’s soft power around the world.
It comes after dire warnings about the devastating impact similar cuts to US overseas aid made by Donald Trump will have. The Independent last month revealed his slashing of foreign aid has derailed the projected end of the Aids pandemic and could lead to four million extra deaths by 2030.
It also follows a backlash among Labour MPs to Sir Keir’s aid cuts, with international development minister Anneliese Dodds resigning in protest over the move.
Responding to the consultation, Sarah Champion, chairwoman of the International Development Committee, said it is “a tragedy that David Lammy’s attempts to craft a new partnership with Africa will be undermined by a 40 per cent cut to the development budget”.
The senior Labour MP added: “Cuts on this scale, stopping the essential programmes we promised to fund, will inevitably rebound on the UK and our standing abroad.”
She has previously written to the prime minister, Rachel Reeves and Mr Lammy warning that the cuts “will have dire consequences for millions of marginalised people across the world”.
Meanwhile, former Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell told The Independent: “The truth is that the whole sector is horrified that a Labour government – especially that it’s a Labour government – would slash an already diminished budget in this way “
The Tory MP said: “Effectively, we are now spending more development money in UK postal districts than in Africa. And this muddled thinking and cash-strapped policy area now means the UK will be less effective at diminishing grinding poverty, which I thought Labour cared about, but also less secure at home because UK development policies are the other side of the defence coin.
“Highly effective British soft power is now being degraded and reduced in an ill-thought-through and random way. We will come very much to regret it “
A government spokesman said: “The UK’s education offer is world-leading, and we continue to do all we can within the tough fiscal circumstances to promote and advance high-quality education globally.
“This means targeting our funding to support the best multilateral programmes, working with governments to strengthen their own education systems, and sharing our expertise and technical assistance to boost access and quality of education in developing countries. difficult decisions will have to be made but our commitment to action remains steadfast.”
This story is part of The Independent’s Rethinking Global Aid series
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