global poverty reduction

Instead of investing billions in new warships and rearmament, we could be using more public funds to support the international response to Covid-19, to reduce global poverty and inequality, and to help communities most impacted by climate change.

Instead, the UK government has cut the overseas aid budget by £4.5 billion in 2021, compared to 2019 levels.

These cuts have been widely condemned by civil society, with many questioning how the government can be cutting funding designed to support the world’s most marginalised communities during a global pandemic. Not only that, these cuts are taking place at the same time that the UK is increasing its military spending by £6 billion a year.

What will the impact of the aid cuts be?

The UK’s international aid budget has a legal target, established in 2015, to be equivalent to 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI), approximately £15 billion in 2019. In the wake of Covid-19, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said that the budget will temporarily be reduced to 0.5% of GNI until “the fiscal situation allows” a return to 0.7%.

However, even the short-term impacts of these cuts could be disastrous: some estimates suggest that 100,000 people could die as a result of the 5.3 million fewer immunisations set to be given due to the cuts. Around 4.5 million fewer children will receive a decent education.

Communities torn apart by conflict and natural disasters will be among the worst affected. The humanitarian response budget has been cut by £900 million (40%) in two years, aid to Yemen has been cut by 60% and aid to Syria has been cut by 33%.

Instead of supporting education, conflict response and global health, these funds will instead be used to build new killing machines.

Perhaps even more shockingly, some of the aid funding that has been preserved will be used to support military and security operations. A small amount of the UK’s overseas aid budget is spent by the Ministry of Defence each year. But recent figures also tell us that the controversial Conflict, Security and Stability Fund, which has used funds to train police and security services in authoritarian regimes (including the brutal SARS police squad in Nigeria) will receive £337 million in 2021/22.

Can we stop the aid cuts?

The aid cuts have received opposition from MPs across the House of Commons, but so far the government has refused to offer MPs a vote.

There are differing legal opinions on whether the current legislation allows the government to reduce the aid budget for more than a year, with some arguing that a vote in parliament or new legislation are not needed. However, if a vote is not brought to the Commons, then a legal challenge supported by MPs is likely.

Either way, it is a vital time to be contacting your MP to call on them to oppose the cuts and put healthcare before warfare.

More information on the UK government’s misuses of the aid budget.

Daniel Willis, Global finance campaigner, Global Justice Now