7 h. ago Is Trump’s America still an ally to the UK? – Politics Weekly UK

The news that the US had suspended military aid to Ukraine stunned world leaders and led to a rapid reassessment of how much we can really rely on our American ally. Is this the end of the western alliance? John Harris asks our diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour. Plus, as the UK pledges to boost defence spending by slashing our foreign aid budget, ActionAid’s CEO, Taahra Ghazi, tells John about the fallout for organisations working on the ground.Send your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com Continue reading...

Politics

19 h. ago Labour MP says Starmer ‘taking the axe’ to UK’s aid budget to fund defence

Labour MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion also said a ‘scandalously large amount of ODA’ had been spent ‘on domestic refugee costs’.

Economics

22 h. ago ‘I don’t want my sons in fatigues’ – Jess Phillips defends aid cuts

The minister was asked about the Government’s decision to cut overseas aid to fund a boost to defence spending.

Politics

36 h. ago Starmer faces growing concerns from MPs over ‘brutal’ cuts to foreign aid budget

Sir Keir Starmer is facing increasing pressure from MPs over his decision to cut the overseas aid budget to fund an increase in defence spending

Politics

40 h. ago Germany’s Merz strikes debt deal to fund defence and infrastructure

Chancellor-to-be moves to relax debt brake in ‘sea change’ from country’s conservative approach to borrowing

Economics

46 h. ago Ursula von der Leyen proposes €800bn ‘rearm Europe’ defence fund plan to step up Ukraine support after Donald Trump’s US suspension

Ursula von der Leyen has proposed an €800bn ($841 billion) plan to boost defences of EU nations to counter possible US disengagement following Donald Trump's decision to suspend all military aid to Ukraine.

Politics

61 h. ago Keir Starmer faces growing pressure from senior Labour MPs over his decision to cut the overseas aid budget to fund increase in defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP

Labour MPs lined up to criticise the move in the Commons on Monday, with Barry Gardiner warning it would lead to more 'more people being slain by famine, drought, disaster and war'.

Economics

69 h. ago Scots Labour MP behind campaign for Keir Starmer to hike taxes to fund defence spending

The letter is intended to be delivered as PMQs starts on Wednesday.

Economics

4 d. ago ‘This will cost lives’: cuts to UK aid budget condemned as ‘betrayal’ by international development groups

Widespread alarm at Keir Starmer’s decision to slash funds, amid warnings of dire consequences for world’s poorestKeir Starmer promised at the UN last September that the UK would “be a leading contributor to development”. Just five months later few expected an announcement that could result in UK aid spending falling to its lowest level this century.Overseas development aid will fall from 0.5% of the UK’s gross national income to 0.3% – a cut of about £6bn – in order to pay for increased defence spending. Continue reading...

Society

5 d. ago Downing Street announces Anneliese Dodds' replacement hours after she quit over Keir Starmer's decision to slash the UK's aid budget to boost defence spending

Baroness Chapman of Darlington has been appointed the new minister for international development, just hours after Anneliese Dodds dramatically quit today

Economics

5 d. ago Cabinet minister Anneliese Dodds QUITS over Keir Starmer slashing billions from aid budget because she says 'it looks like UK is following in Trump's footsteps'

Development minister Anneliese Dodds has resigned warning that the reduction will only increase the influence of Russia and China.

Politics

5 d. ago Blow for Keir Starmer as senior Labour minister quits over aid cut to fund defence

Anneliese Dodds said she knew there were no “easy paths” to increase defence spending

Politics

5 d. ago Dodds quits as international development minister over aid cut to fund defence

Anneliese Dodds warned that the move would affect the UK’s support for Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.

Politics

6 d. ago Anneliese Dodds quits as international development minister over aid budget cut

Scottish Labour MP quits ‘with sadness’ following move to raid aid budget to increase defence spending

Politics

6 d. ago Minister Anneliese Dodds resigns over Starmer move to cut foreign aid budget

Minister Anneliese Dodds has dramatically resigned from the government over Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to slash the UK’s foreign aid budget.

Politics

6 d. ago Anneliese Dodds quits cabinet over aid cut in blow to Keir Starmer

Anneliese Dodds walked out as international development minister following the decision to slash the aid budget in order to fund an increase in defence spending

Politics

6 d. ago Keir Starmer to carry out largest cut to UK overseas aid in history

NGOs accuse prime minister of following US by accepting ‘false choice’ of cutting aid to fund defenceSir Keir Starmer is to take UK overseas aid to its lowest level as a percentage of national income since records began, even if he manages to halve the current £4.5bn cost of housing asylum seekers.The extraordinary finding, a complete reversal of Labour manifesto pledges and its historical commitment to helping the world’s poorest, is made by Ian Mitchell, the co-director of the respected London-based thinktank the Centre for Global Development. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Aid cut will have ‘devastating impact’ on world’s poorest, church leaders warn

The Prime Minister recently announced the foreign aid budget will be cut in order to fund an increase in defence spending.

Events

7 d. ago Keir Starmer 'set to blow defence billions on Chagos Islands surrender' as Labour repeatedly fails to deny that a significant chunk of its increase in military spending will fund airbase sell

Sir Keir Starmer yesterday 'all but confessed' Labour's defence spending boost would be used to help fund the Chagos Islands giveaway, it was claimed last night.

Events

7 d. ago Starmer accused of defence spend ‘cover up’ in row over how £9bn Chagos deal is funded

The PM said the uplift would boost ‘our capability on defence and security in Europe’, but stopped short of ruling out using defence cash to fund Chagos deal

Economics