Bond criticises Conservative Party's 'deplorable' plan to cut UK aid

Conservative Party plans to cut the aid budget further have been branded as ‘deplorable’ by NGO organisation Bond.

At the Tory party conference in Manchester this week shadow chancellor Mel Stride claims his party could save £47bn over the next parliament through cuts to international aid, benefits, the civil service and green funding.

When in government in 2021 the party had already slashed the UK’s aid budget from 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) to 0.5% in response to the Covid pandemic.

It was cut further by the current Labour administration to 0.3% of GNI in 2027 to pay for an increase in defence spending.

Under the Conservative’s current plans, should they overturn their negative polling and form a government after the next general election, the overseas aid budget would be cut to 0.1%.

“The Conservatives’ deplorable decision to slash the already diminished UK aid budget even further is reckless, short-sighted, and morally indefensible,” said Bond CEO Romilly Greenhill.

“It undermines our legal obligations and signals the Conservatives want the UK to retreat even further as a trusted global partner.

“Marginalised communities who have already borne the brunt of previous cuts will once again pay the price, particularly women and girls and those experiencing conflict. Cutting UK aid doesn’t make us stronger, it makes the world, and the UK, less safe.

“Slashing the UK aid budget even further will put our long-term national security at risk by dismantling the very systems that prevent the escalation of conflict, tackles the root causes of poverty and climate change, and protect us against future pandemics.

“We urge the party to rethink this irresponsible decision.”

In announcing the policy, Stride told conference delegates that “we simply cannot justify higher taxes at home to pay for more spending abroad”.

According to the latest YouGov poll of voting intentions if there was a general election tomorrow just 16% of people would vote Conservative, compared to 21% backing Labour and 29% supporting Reform UK.