3 h. ago Starmer’s cuts are a huge mistake – foreign aid is an investment, not an expense | Halima Begum

At the height of the cold war, the west advanced its soft power through aid and development spending. If we cut that now, who will fill the vacuum?Halima Begum is the chief executive of Oxfam GBThe savagely deep cuts that Keir Starmer has announced to the international aid budget make a mockery of the pledge his party made to the British people in its manifesto. Then, it promised to restore development spending at the level of 0.7% of gross national income “as soon as fiscal circumstances allow”. On Tuesday the prime minister stood in front of parliament and announced that he will cut it from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP. In the same manifesto, Labour made a commitment to “rebuild Britain’s reputation on international development with a new approach based on genuine respect and partnership with the global south”. This week, the government turned its back on it.Of course, I understand the argument that defence spending has to be increased, but cutting our aid budget still further when governm...

Politics

5 h. ago Keir Starmer says 'dangerous new era' forced decision for 'biggest rise' in defence spending since the Cold War

The Prime Minister said ‘extremely difficult and painful choices’ would be needed to reach the spending goal, including a cut to foreign aid

Events

19 h. ago Keir Starmer says 'dangerous new era' forced decision for 'biggest rise' in defence spending since Cold War

The Prime Minister said ‘extremely difficult and painful choices’ would be needed to reach the spending goal, including a cut to foreign aid

Events

20 h. ago Keir Starmer addresses nation after slashing aid budget to fund 'biggest sustained rise' in defence spending since Cold War

The Prime Minister said ‘extremely difficult and painful choices’ would be needed to reach the spending goal, including the cut to foreign aid

Economics

22 h. ago Keir Starmer to hold urgent Downing Street press conference today

Keir Starmer will take questions from Downing Street around 5pm after announcing the biggest hike in defence spending since the Cold War in the face of Russian agression

Politics

24 h. ago Starmer slashes aid to fund biggest increase in defence spending since Cold War

Sir Keir Starmer set out plans for defence spending to reach 2.7% of gross domestic product in 2027.

Economics

24 h. ago Keir Starmer slashes aid budget to fund 'biggest sustained rise' in defence spending since Cold War

The Prime Minister said ‘extremely difficult and painful choices’ would be needed to reach the spending goal, including the cut to foreign aid

Economics

3 d. ago Keir Starmer issues grim 'danger' warning over Nigel Farage's Reform UK in major speech

Keir Starmer argued Nigel Farage's Reform UK party is 'not the answer for Britain' and promised to point out their 'bluster' in major speech to the Scottish Labour conference

Events

3 d. ago Keir Starmer goes to war with Nigel Farage to accuse 'dangerous' Reform UK of 'fawning over Putin' and holding policies 'alien' to Brits following party's poll surge

The Prime Minister used a speech at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow to launch an full-throated attack on Reform's 'dangerous right-wing politics'.

Events

3 d. ago Keir Starmer: Do not vote for 'dangerous' politics of Nigel Farage

The Prime Minister will urge voters to back a Labour government in Holyrood when he comes to Glasgow.

Politics

8 d. ago One misstep away from World War III: Keir Starmer's 'peacekeeping' operation in Ukraine would be fraught with danger and has potential to trigger wider conflict, military experts warn

British spymaster Colonel Philip Ingram fears tyrant Vladimir Putin would never stick to any peace deal and could open fire on British troops acting as part of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

Events

8 d. ago Keir Starmer gives chilling warning to Donald Trump over Putin danger

Keir Starmer said that a US security guarantee is the 'only way' of stopping Vladimir Putin's aggression as he said Europe faces a 'generational moment' over Ukraine

Events