Boris Johnson refuses to rule out foreign aid cut to help ease ‘huge strain’ on public finances

Boris Johnson today signalled his intention to slash Britain’s foreign aid budget to help the nation’s domestic finances – as he agreed to pump billions more into the Armed Forces. The Prime Minister declined to reject reports  of plans to slash the UK’s commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on overseas aid … Read more

Boris Johnson ‘plans to cut foreign aid by £5billion to help meet Britain’s £210bn Covid bill’

Boris Johnson ‘plans to cut foreign aid by £5billion to help meet Britain’s £210bn Covid bill’ Britain could reduce the amount it sends to foreign countries in aid due to Covid Rishi Sunak is said to be pushing for the for £5bn to be cut from foreign aid bill  Foreign aid has been criticised after … Read more

Rishi Sunak in bid to curb foreign aid budget

Rishi Sunak in bid to curb foreign aid budget: Chancellor wants 0.7% target axed as he struggles with public finance crisis Rishi Sunak wants to shelve foreign aid target during public finances crisis  Chancellor and PM will meet to decide fate of the country’s overseas handouts The UK is legally committed to spending 0.7 per … Read more

Theresa May’s drive to spend £200m tackling modern slavery comes under fire

Theresa May’s drive to spend £200m tackling modern slavery comes under fire  A review by the official aid watchdog warned there was little evidence of the long-term impact of global projects funded with British taxpayers’ money  Concerns were also raised about the UK’s use of the term ‘modern slavery’  The aid watchdog said  many projects … Read more

UK gives £67.9m in foreign aid to China in the last year

Britain increased its handouts to China last year as the Government overshot its foreign aid target by almost £100million. Schemes funded by UK taxpayers included a photography project to understand the country’s past, syphilis tests for gay men and improving cancer screening in rural areas. Despite a promise a decade ago to stop sending cash … Read more

‘Jihadi’ textbook probe descends into farce after researchers analysed Israeli book promoting peace

‘Jihadi’ textbook probe descends into farce: Investigation into literature used in British-funded Palestinian schools is slammed – after researchers analysed Israeli publications promoting peace A joint UK-EU study to provide a ‘thorough review’ of the books was promised Report to be completed in October by Germany’s Georg Eckert Institute Concerns were raised after presentation of … Read more

£6.85m foreign aid scheme accused of ‘funnelling aid to firms’

New £6.85million foreign aid scheme to help workers supplying UK chains like M&S and Primark is accused of ‘funnelling aid into the pockets of wealthy firms’ Scheme promises to help workers in poorer countries during the pandemic But critics say it uses taxpayer money to ‘pick up the bill’ for rich corporations Others who will … Read more

Britain gives £71m to China in aid – if you can stomach it, read where those tax millions are going

There can be no greater symbol of mankind’s prosperity than a giant rocket blasting off to a far-flung planet with its engines blazing orange.  So in many ways, China’s successful launch yesterday of its mission to conquer Mars was a highly fitting moment for the world’s second largest economy.  Certainly it was a bold gesture … Read more

Britain pours tens of millions of aid money into middle-class hotels and coffee shops

Britain pours tens of millions of aid money into African five-star hotels, Indian celebrity chef’s cookware brand and Kenyan coffee shops CDC Group is supposed to make investments to benefit world’s poorest places  It pumped £43million into international business hotel chain Onomo since 2017 It also invested into hotel chain Azalai which owns five-star hotels … Read more

Almost 200 charities accuse Government of turning their backs on the world’s poor by axing DfID 

Almost 200 charities have accused ministers of turning their backs on the world’s poorest by scrapping the office that dishes out foreign aid. They say the merger of the Department for International Development with the Foreign Office is an ‘unnecessary and expensive distraction’ that will diminish the UK’s reputation. A total of 188 humanitarian aid … Read more