It is no good offering people a ‘story to believe in’ if it ends in harm – but the Prime Minister does not know any other way, observes Jonathan Lis.

Tory report says DfID could be folded into Foreign Office and aid spending redefined.

PM opens debate in parliament, with vote after 4pm expected to be tight. / The government is also under pressure from a group of philanthropists, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who said over the weekend that they would provide £93.5m emergency funding to cover some of the UK aid cuts.

Diplomats suggest Britain’s leverage on world stage will be weaker after EU departure. / Brexit is already leading to a “palpable decline” in British influence at the UN, and that influence would be in freefall but for the UK’s commitment to spend 0.7 % of gross national income on overseas aid, a study has found.

The UK government is to cut 60% of its funding to Unicef, the United Nation's children's fund, as part of its move to reduce spending on foreign aid.

Research into similar exercises in other countries has shown they lead to an exodus of talent and a loss of influence with key partners.

Lady Sugg hands in resignation after overseas aid cut by a third.

The UK’s science community is urging the prime minister, Boris Johnson, to match funding to rhetoric, as arguments continue over where the budget for the UK’s association to the EU’s Horizon Europe research programme will come from.

Leo Varadkar warns that Brexit, aid cuts and talk of abandoning human rights treaty ‘not the Britain I know’.

Boris Johnson must rebuild relationships with neighbours to ‘make Brexit work,’ says shadow foreign secretary.

Former foreign secretary backs controversial call for a huge de-facto cut in overseas aid spending.

Trade has plummeted and red tape has blocked our borders. Is that what ‘protecting our sovereignty’ meant?

In just the first few months of 2021, the UK has slashed its overseas aid budget, made clear its intent to pursue trade deals at all costs – including turning a blind eye to human rights atrocities and genocide – and announced an increase in funding to the UK’s weapons of mass destruction by 40%, signalling the start of a new arms race and ripping up 30 years of commitment to gradual disarmament.

Government is creating ‘rather different’ impression abroad, former PM says.

THE devolved nations and English regions have accused the Tory government of breaching yet another manifesto pledge after it failed to match EU funds lost to Brexit.

The British government has been accused by NGOs and trade unions of “chasing colonial post-Brexit fantasies” at the expense of the world’s poorest as they urge Liz Truss to keep aid focused on poverty reduction rather than geopolitical manoeuvring.

Officials have just weeks to slash costs, prompting fears that speed of cuts could ‘cost lives’.

British lawmakers are voting on whether to overturn a big cut to the U.K.'s foreign aid budget.

Scale of aid cut emerges in leaked FCDO memo, prompting experts to describe it as ‘a national shame’