WBG responds to Keir Starmer’s announcement to cut foreign aid

In response to today’s announcement by the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, director at the Women’s Budget Group, said,

“The Women’s Budget Group recognises the immense value of foreign aid in advancing gender justice worldwide. Cutting an already underfunded aid budget to increase defence spending is both short-sighted and a false economy.

Foreign aid is a lifeline for women and girls facing poverty, conflict, and violence across the globe. Further reductions in support for the world’s most vulnerable risk deepening global insecurity. At a time of unprecedented humanitarian crises, with women bearing the brunt, and global foreign aid spending in peril, this decision sends entirely the wrong message.

We are also deeply concerned by reports that increased defence spending could come at the expense of other already squeezed departmental budgets.

The Government must rethink this approach. Instead of further cuts, we urge them to explore fairer ways to raise much needed revenue – through progressive taxation, including wealth taxes, and revisiting the restrictive fiscal rules ahead of the Spring Statement.”