Cuts to overseas aid will ultimately hurt Britain

‘The cut in aid is not just a moral dereliction of duty, but a false economy, bringing greater instability to the world and making people less safe.’ Photograph: Leonhard Föger/Reuters

The recent announcement that the UK government is set to make significant cuts to direct aid to Africa and the Middle East is deeply disappointing (Report, 19 March). It is plumbing new depths by proposing to balance increased defence spending on the backs of the world’s poorest by slashing development aid.

Such a move also breaks Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledge to restore development spending at the level of 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) “as soon as fiscal circumstances allow”.