“AKIN TO DEFUNDING THE RAF AT THE HEIGHT OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN” 

Wednesday 25th November 2020 – Speaking in the House of Commons earlier this afternoon, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak unveiled Government plans to cut the UK aid budget as part of its Spending Review. The proposed cuts will take UK aid spending below the 0.7% of Gross National Income that is enshrined in law. Maintaining this commitment was part of the Conservative Party manifesto in the 2019 General Election.

Romilly Greenhill, UK Director for The ONE Campaign, said:

“If nothing else, 2020 has served as a wake-up call about the importance of addressing global challenges. Today’s announcement suggests that the British Government didn’t get the message.

“This move doesn’t just hurt the world’s poorest people, it has a real impact on people here in the UK as well. It’s bad economics that will end up costing more than it saves, and bad foreign policy that reduces Britain’s influence around the world. And it couldn’t come at a worse time. Cutting the aid budget in the middle of the biggest global health crisis in our lifetimes is akin to defunding the RAF at the height of the Battle of Britain.

“It is hard to envisage a more short-sighted decision. Yet again, for all the talk of Global Britain this approach is more at home in Little Britain. For the UK to be a serious actor on the world stage this cut must be kept to the shortest period possible – and the government must ensure that it doesn’t end up prolonging the lifetime of the Pandemic, increasing the threat to the lives and livelihoods of people both at home and abroad.”

ENDS –

For media queries please contact Ben Maitland via [email protected] or 07881 370 441.

Romilly Greenhill is available for comment and interview upon request.

About ONE:

ONE is a campaigning and advocacy organisation of more than nine million people taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. Not politically partisan, we raise public awareness and press political leaders to combat AIDS and preventable diseases, increase investments in agriculture and nutrition, and demand greater transparency in poverty-fighting programmes. Read more at www.one.org