Senior Labour MPs demand U-turn on foreign aid cuts

Senior Labour MPs have demanded that Rachel Reeves performs a U-turn on her controversial foreign aid cuts by providing a roadmap to restoring the budget to save millions from humanitarian crises.

- DAVID MADDOX

Key figures, including international development committee chair Sarah Champion and business committee chair Liam Byrne, are calling for Ms Reeves to commit billions more to the budget she slashed to pay for more defence spending last year.

In a letter to the chancellor, who is to unveil her make-or-break Budget on Wednesday, they insist she must chart a path back to restoring the foreign aid budget from 0.3 per cent of gross national income (GNI)- the lowest level in 25 years – to 0.7 per cent, to ensure the UK meets its international obligations.

It comes amid concerns that Ms Reeves may try to further cut spending as she struggles to balance the country’s finances and fill a £20bn black hole.

The cuts prompted a furious row within Labour and prompted international development minister Anneliese Dodds to dramatically resign in protest. And analysis by Save the Children, shared exclusively with The Independent, found they will leave 55.5 million of the world’s poorest people without access to basic resources such as water, food aid, education and family planning.