I have seen with pride how British overseas aid saves children’s lives. That is why I say cuts should be reversed

‘UK funding for Sierra Leone’s newborn care programme is now expected to end in December 2026, two years earlier than planned.’ Photograph: Jonathan Porter/Alamy

As Labour party conference approaches, politicians will debate spending priorities, fiscal pressures and the UK’s place in the world. Before those discussions begin, I want ministers to picture a hospital ward I visited in Sierra Leone with Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund).

Inside the special-care baby unit at Makeni regional hospital were rows of tiny premature babies, some no bigger than my hand. Around them stood dedicated nurses and anxious parents, all willing these newborns to survive.