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David Cameron and Tony Blair say foreign aid cuts would be ‘strategic mistake’

Picture: Getty, PA Tony Blair and David Cameron warn Rishi not to cut overseas aid
The two former premiers warned against reducing the foreign aid budget (Picture: Getty/PA)

David Cameron and Tony Blair have warned against proposed cuts to the foreign aid budget, calling the idea a ‘strategic mistake’.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is widely expected to reduce the UK’s commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on overseas aid to 0.5% in next week’s spending review as the costs of the coronavirus crisis continue to spiral.

Mr Cameron oversaw the country meeting the 0.7% target for the first time in 2013, and he and Mr Blair have joined a list of those urging a rethink of the plans. The spending on aid is related to gross national income which was £2.17 trillion in 2019, meaning a drop from 0.7% to 0.5% would account for more than £4 billion.

But Mr Cameron told the Daily Telegraph: ‘Abandoning the 0.7 target for aid would be a moral, strategic and political mistake.

‘Moral, because we should be keeping our promises to the world’s poorest. A strategic error, because we would be signalling retreat from one of the UK’s vital acts of global leadership.

‘And a political mistake because the UK is about to chair the G7 and important climate change negotiations. I hope the PM will stick to his clear manifesto promise, maintain UK leadership and save lives.’

Last week, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman drew attention to the fact that the legislation enshrining the 0.7% target in UK law explicitly acknowledged it might not always be met.

(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 07, 2015 British Prime Minister David Cameron (R) and London Mayor Boris Johnson leave St Paul's Cathedral in central London after attending a memorial service in memory of the 52 victims of the 7/7 London attacks. - Former British prime minister David Cameron said Friday he had no regrets about launching the Brexit referendum but accused current PM Boris Johnson of behaving
David Cameron, pictured with Boris Johnson, said reducing the foreign aid budget would be a ‘moral, strategic and political mistake’ (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, coronavirus has led to a strain on the public purse with the Government spending billions keeping the economy ticking over.

Mr Blair said foreign aid – and the 0.7 target – had been a ‘great British soft power achievement’ and that it had saved millions of lives in Africa by reducing deaths from malaria and HIV.

He told the Telegraph: ‘It’s enlightened self-interest. Neither the challenge of climate or Covid-19 can be met without Africa. Nor can those of extremism and uncontrolled immigration. To change it is a profound strategic mistake.’

Earlier this week, Mr Johnson was urged to rethink the plan in a letter signed by 185 development and humanitarian charity leaders including Save The Children, Greenpeace UK, and Unicef UK.

ONE EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO SALES. NO ARCHIVING. NO ALTERING OR MANIPULATING. NO USE ON SOCIAL MEDIA UNLESS AGREED BY HOC PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICE. MANDATORY CREDIT: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor Handout photo issued by UK Parliament of Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London. PA Photo. Issue date: Wednesday November 4, 2020. Photo credit should read: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to reduce the UK’s commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on overseas aid to 0.5% (Picture: PA)
Former prime minister Tony Blair gives a speech on the future of the Labour Party and progressive politics at the Hallam Conference Centre in central London. PA Photo. Picture date: Wednesday December 18, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Labour. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Tony Blair also said the change would be ‘a profound strategic mistake’ (Picture: PA)

They said: ‘Now is not the time to renege on our promise to spend 0.7% of our gross national income on aid and development.

‘Stepping back from our international commitments is not the solution and risks damaging the UK’s standing globally as we define our role in the world post-Brexit.

‘A U-turn on your manifesto commitment to maintain the 0.7% target would signal we are a nation willing to balance its books on the backs of the world’s most marginalised people, many of whom are dealing with the impact of Covid-19 on top of existing hardship.’

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