UK Foreign Aid Cuts Outpace Trump's Reductions, Analysis Finds
New analysis indicates that Britain is projected to reduce its overseas aid budget more significantly and rapidly than the United States, according to a report from the Center for Global Development (CGD). The UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) is expected to decrease by 27 per cent by the 2026-27 fiscal year, compared to a 23 per cent reduction in US development spending over the same period.
Parliamentary Opposition and Global Consequences
While the US Congress resisted some of the deeper aid cuts proposed by the Trump administration, UK parliamentarians have offered minimal opposition to similar plans. Bond, a UK network of aid organisations, warns that these reductions are having devastating global consequences and risk undermining Britain's international credibility.
The UK government has justified lowering aid spending from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent of gross national income (GNI) to fund higher defence spending. This marks the lowest aid level since 1999, occurring amidst rising global instability.
Diane Abbott has rebuked Keir Starmer over the foreign aid cut, highlighting the political tensions surrounding the issue. The cuts are projected to have a more severe impact than those implemented under the Trump administration, raising concerns about Britain's role in global development efforts.
The analysis underscores the broader implications for international relations and humanitarian aid, as the UK shifts priorities towards defence at the expense of overseas assistance.
