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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Politics
David Lynch

Starmer defends aid cuts to boost defence as ‘necessary’ amid charity criticism

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivers a statement on defence spending in the Downing Street Briefing Room, Westminster (Leon Neal/PA) - (PA Wire)

Sir Keir Starmer has defended his decision to cut the aid budget in order to increase defence spending as “necessary for the protection of our country”, amid rampant criticism.

Sacrificing aid funding to bolster Britain’s war chest was branded “reckless” by charities and aid organisations, who labelled it a “betrayal of the world’s most vulnerable”.

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