Rishi Sunak ‘pushing’ for cut in UK’s aid budget in spending review
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The Treasury is reportedly pushing Number 10 to slash the UK’s annual foreign aid budget of 0.7 per cent of gross national income.
Rishi Sunak is pushing for the annual aid budget to be cut to 0.5 per cent of national income in next week’s spending review as the government looks for ways to pay off the more than £200bn spent during the Covid crisis.
The Times reports that Sunak thinks it necessary for the UK to cut its foreign aid budget since the country is in a deep recession domestically.
Boris Johnson is said to want any cut to only be temporary, while foreign secretary Dominic Raab is against any alteration to the UK’s aid regime altogether.
In September, the foreign secretary said he was committed to maintaining the aid target.
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His department became responsible for the government’s aid programme earlier this year, after the Department for International Development was folded into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
‘Legitimate question’
There is room for the government to cut its aid target in the International Development Act Britain, which says there are three circumstances where it is deemed reasonable to make changes.
If there is a “substantial change” in gross national income, if the aid would affect borrowing and because of “circumstances outside the UK”.
Speaking to LBC, housing secretary Robert Jenrick strongly hinted that aid cuts could be on the way.
“I think it is a legitimate question for us to ask at this moment in time whether or not it would be wise to spend somewhat less in light of the fact public finances are in a really challenging situation,” he said.