How UK’s cut to international aid has handed a victory to Russia and China

It therefore wasn’t a huge surprise when Keir Starmer announced an increase in defence spending. The USA has put Europe countries on notice that it expects them to do more about their own security and the war in Ukraine.

If that wasn’t clear enough, the USA’s decision to vote alongside some of the world’s most appalling regimes, and against a motion that condemned Russian aggression, made it clear Washington is no longer a reliable partner of European democracies.

Labour punching down

However, in increasing defence spending, the Prime Minister cut international aid, illustrating the short-sighted and shallow approach to policy-making that has become all too common in Whitehall. The international aid budget is an important humanitarian mechanism that helps some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable, and in that regard, Labour decided to punch down at those least able to respond.

That was bad enough, but from a purely selfish, national interest perspective, it was the wrong move. I should declare an interest, I spent several years working in the international NGO sector, in areas affected by conflict such as the Caucasus, eastern Europe, including Ukraine, the western Balkans and elsewhere.

I witnessed first hand the valuable work that is undertaken to help conflict stabilisation and build long-term peace. The most important work is undertaken when the rest of the world is not paying attention.

Peace-building involves long-term graft and investment, rather than the short-termism of politics and media interest. It helps prevent conflict and, in the process, keeps us safer. It also helps save money, as war is expensive for everyone. The current conflict in Ukraine, for example, will have had a significant impact on your food and energy bills.

Emergency food kitchens closing

With a community already reeling from Trump’s massive cuts to the USAID budget this is something that the world can ill afford. Those cuts in the USA have already forced 80 per cent of the emergency food kitchens to feed those affected by the war in Sudan to close.

Nearby in Ethiopia, the health ministry may be forced to fire 5,000 employees at a time when malaria is surging in the conflict plagued country. In Afghanistan, the UN warns of thousands of maternal deaths due to the withdrawal of aid. Poverty is one of the great drivers of conflict and, with these cuts, it will get worse.

In recent years, the UK has played an important role in areas affected by conflict such as the work that has been undertaken to bring peace to Colombia and stability to many parts of the western Balkans. During a period of fast-changing, geo-political relationships, new security threats and uncertainty, this plays an important role in keeping us all safe.

Building alliances

Too often we think of security in terms of simply military hardware. That is undoubtedly important but it’s only part of what it takes to keep us all safe. Investing in aid, stabilisation and international education partnerships, tackling disinformation and polarisation, and stopping dirty money flowing through our financial markets all have a role to play in building security.

By supporting other communities to address inequality, climate change, and develop economically, we are building alliances, creating future partnerships and a more secure world. That is good for everyone in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Not only that but it helps grow the interconnected global economy. A report by the think tank, the Institute for Economics and Peace, estimates that for every dollar invested in peacebuilding, the cost of conflict (and its consequences such as expenditure on humanitarian aid, reconstruction, military spending etc.) reduces by $16, meaning an additional $2.94 trillion internationally.

Cross-party Scottish commitment to aid

The UK can’t act alone, but in a globally connected world, it plays an important role. That is why in recent years the Scottish Government has invested in international aid, even though it is an issue reserved to Westminster. First Ministers from Henry McLeish and Jack McConnell through to John Swinney understand that prosperity and security at home is built on a stable international environment.

This week’s announcement represents yet another blow to the UK’s standing in the world and to a Labour party who are shedding pre-election commitments like cheap confetti at a distant relative’s wedding.

Don’t just take my word for it. In July 2021, the then leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer, warned the UK Government over cutting aid, telling parliament: “Our overseas aid budget goes beyond [a] moral obligation, it also helps build a more stable world and keeps us safer in the UK.”

Alliances matter

Just a few days ago, Foreign Secretary David Lammy warned that any cuts to aid could allow China and Russia space to step into the gaps left by the UK. Yet despite that, Labour have now slashed, by more than half, the commitment to aid that they made in their manifesto.

Policymaking is rarely simple and building our security is particularly complex. It is no longer simply a case of military or economic strength, but rather your alliances, influence and global infrastructures.

As the remarks of the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary make clear, Labour knows this. In cutting the aid budget, UK citizens have become less secure, and at a time when we need to be countering Chinese and Russian influence in the world in order to help Ukraine, we have just handed enemies of democracy a boost. That isn’t much good for anyone.

Stephen Gethins is the MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry