Starmer faces pressure from senior Labour MPs over cuts to overseas aid budget
Labour former minister Barry Gardiner argued the cuts will lead to more deaths.
Sir Keir Starmer has faced pressure from senior Labour MPs over his decision to cut the overseas aid budget to fund an increase in defence spending.
Labour former minister Barry Gardiner argued the cuts will lead to more deaths as he urged the Prime Minister to pay for the rise in defence spending by changing the fiscal rules instead.
Meanwhile, Dame Emily Thornberry, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it is “hard to believe” there will be enough money left in the budget to support areas such as Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza.
During a statement on Ukraine, the Prime Minister told the Commons he is committed to foreign aid, but he is not prepared to risk returning to economic instability.
This comes after Anneliese Dodds resigned as Foreign Office minister over the Government’s decision to cut overseas aid.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Gardiner, MP for Brent West, said: “The Prime Minister deserves plaudits for the skilful way in which he has handled his visit to Washington last week, as he does for the resolve that he’s shown to stand against Russia’s illegal invasion of the sovereign state of Ukraine.
“Surely, though, this was a moment to accept that the post-war international settlement has now been fractured and that the necessary rise in defence spending should be achieved by changing the fiscal rules, not by cuts to international aid, which will only see more people slain by famine, drought, disaster and war.”
Sir Keir replied: “The reason that we will not change the fiscal rules is that we need economic stability. We experienced economic instability only a few years ago under Liz Truss.
“The loss to our aid budget, and all budgets, would be far more profound if we go back to instability, and I’m not prepared to do it.”
Dame Emily, Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, questioned how the UK would prioritise support to Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza following the proposed move to cut aid spending.
She said: “The difficulty is that after refugee costs, admin costs, the department’s commitments to things like the World Bank and UN are taken into account, it is hard to believe that there will be enough left in the budget to provide meaningful humanitarian support in these priority areas.
“So, does the Prime Minister understand the concern of so many that these cuts could, in fact, in the long-term hobble the very leadership that the Prime Minister has shown this weekend and that he has finally given the world some hope?”
Sir Keir defended the defence spending increase, adding on overseas aid: “I am committed to it. What we will now do is go through line-by-line the funding and look at our priorities.
“Of course, Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, are right up there in our priorities but I also want to work with others and across the House, if we can, at other ways of raising money and finance for development and aid overseas.”
Sir Keir said he met the World Bank president last week and raised the issue with other nations, noting: “Many of whom want to join in attempts to find other ways to leverage money, particularly from the private sector, where states can’t do it in the way they might want to just at the moment.”
Labour MP Cat Smith (Lancaster and Wyre) asked whether the Prime Minister would “recommit to increasing international aid spending to 0.7% (of gross national income) when the fiscal circumstances allow”, in line with the party’s general election manifesto last year.
Sir Keir replied: “Yes, I do want to restore aid and development funding as soon as fiscal events allow. It’s a principle I believe in. I’m proud of what we’ve done.
“In the meantime, I want to explore with others what other levers we can have to increase aid and development without necessarily increasing the spend within the Government budget.”
Labour MP Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East) asked if the Prime Minister was concerned that cutting the international aid budget “risks both increasing global instability and undermining support for Ukraine both here at home and internationally”.
Sir Keir said: “The security and safety and defence of Europe has to come first but I’m absolutely committed to doing what we can to increasing the aid and development that we’re able to provide, which is why I’ll look at the priorities and work with others on other ways to leverage the support that we might be able to put in place.”
Labour MP Naushabah Khan (Gillingham and Rainham) said: “The Prime Minister rightly reaffirms our commitment to our national security and while it is regrettable that the foreign aid and the soft power that goes with it will, for a time being, see a reduction, does the Prime Minister agree that without the necessary hard power to back what we say on the world stage, the impact of our international aid will be diminished in any case, and can he outline how increased investment in defence strengthens both our armed forces and our ability to support Ukraine effectively?”
Sir Keir replied: “I agree with her on the points she makes, in particular, our ability to support Ukraine in a number of different ways, but it is important that we take these steps.”
