Reports are doing the rounds that the Chancellor Rishi Sunak is about to scrap foreign aid as part of his wider plan to reorganise Britain’s economy post coronavirus.
A severe recession looms like a dark over the UK and the government is working on ways to soften the economic hit and Rishi Sunak has suggested slashing foreign aid could be one way of doing this.
This move expected to be one of many big announcements in November’s budget. The UK currently has a legal commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of its GDP on foreign projects. However, some of the world’s richest countries, such as China and India, have benefited from this money.
Multiple sources are now stating that Mr Sunak has his sights set on the amount of money, which is up to £15 billion a year, which could instead be used to fund the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence projects.
UNN’s Oliver Down understands that the Chancellor has support from the Prime Minister as well as the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab. Any change would require primary legislation being passed. This is a process that would take months.
The foreign aid budget was a flagship policy of David Cameron’s government but is deeply unpopular with a number of Tory MPs. UNN’s Oliver Down will bring you more on this as we get it.
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Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
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