The leaders of more than 130 UK NGOs have urged the government to reverse its decision to further cut the aid budget to boost spending on defence. 

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced this week that the UK planned to increase defence spending by reducing the UK aid budget from 0.5 per cent of gross national income to 0.3 per cent by 2026/27. 

The decision is expected to wipe more than £5bn off the UK’s annual aid budget. 

The previous government had already reduced the aid commitment in 2021 from 0.7 per cent of GNI to 0.5 per cent – a move Labour had pledged to reverse when finances allowed.

A letter signed by the heads of 138 NGOs, including Save the Children UK, Oxfam GB, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief and Cafod, says the move would “destroy Labour’s legacy on international development” and leave the government’s ambition to be a reliable development partner on the global stage “in tatters”. 

The letter, which has been co-ordinated by the NGO umbrella body Bond, said the signatories were “appalled” by the latest announcement. 

“It is alarming that the UK is now following in the US’s footsteps and has accepted the false choice of cutting the already diminished UK aid to fund defence," it says. 

“We implore you to reverse this decision before significant damage is done to both the UK’s development and humanitarian work and its global reputation.”

It goes on to say that no government should “balance its books on the backs of the world’s most marginalised people”. 

It says: “The previous UK aid cuts and the current US aid freeze have already shown their impact: children are now at risk of missing out on vaccines, girls may lose access to education, and healthcare services in refugee camps are being withdrawn. 

“This move will also destroy Labour’s legacy on international development and will leave your manifesto commitments and the government’s ambition to be a reliable development partner on the global stage in tatters.”