Conservative plans to slash aid budget by 90% to ‘irreparably damage’ UK’s global credibility, charities say

The head of an NGO umbrella body said the £1bn limit on aid spending would amount to the UK ‘shooting itself in the foot’ and renouncing its position on the global stage. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

Conservative plans to slash the aid budget by 90% would leave the UK unable to cover existing contributions to the UN and World Bank, and “irreparably damage” Britain’s global credibility, several organisations and charities have told the Guardian.

In a series of announcements at the Tory party conference in Birmingham, Kemi Badenoch said that as prime minister she would reduce the aid budget from £9bn a year to £1bn, to part-fund 50,000 new prison places in England and Wales. The culture budget would also be slashed by £1bn a year to fund the plans.