Labour leader Keir Starmer has come under fire for drastically cutting funding to the UN World Food Programme by a third, despite pledging to tackle hunger and starvation. The UK's aid spending has been slashed from $610m (£448m) in 2024 to $435m last year, with campaigners warning that these cuts will put lives at risk.
In 2015, Starmer's Labour party had committed to spend 0.7% of gross national income on development, which was a UN target. However, under the current Conservative government, this commitment was reduced to 0.5%. The new Labour leader promised to reverse this trend, but instead has announced plans to cut aid spending further.
The decision to slash aid funding comes as cases of starvation are growing exponentially. A former Conservative aid minister, Michael Bates, described it as "hypocritical" for Starmer to talk about tackling hunger and then reduce government spending in an area where the UK had been a global leader. Bates warned that these cuts will have a devastating impact on people's lives.
The reduction in UK funding to the WFP is part of a wider trend towards cutting aid spending globally. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development projects that total global aid fell by 9% in 2024, and it will continue to decline. Meanwhile, the Home Office plans to use some of its overseas development assistance on asylum seekers already in the UK, with £2.2bn expected to be spent on hotel bills alone this financial year.
A government spokesperson claimed that the decision to reduce aid spending was necessary to allow more money to be spent on defence and security. However, they acknowledged that food assistance is crucial for those in need and that the WFP remains a vital partner for the UK. The prime minister recently announced an additional £20m of UK aid to support water, sanitation, and hygiene services in Gaza, although this is a fraction of the cuts made to the WFP.
In 2015, Starmer's Labour party had committed to spend 0.7% of gross national income on development, which was a UN target. However, under the current Conservative government, this commitment was reduced to 0.5%. The new Labour leader promised to reverse this trend, but instead has announced plans to cut aid spending further.
The decision to slash aid funding comes as cases of starvation are growing exponentially. A former Conservative aid minister, Michael Bates, described it as "hypocritical" for Starmer to talk about tackling hunger and then reduce government spending in an area where the UK had been a global leader. Bates warned that these cuts will have a devastating impact on people's lives.
The reduction in UK funding to the WFP is part of a wider trend towards cutting aid spending globally. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development projects that total global aid fell by 9% in 2024, and it will continue to decline. Meanwhile, the Home Office plans to use some of its overseas development assistance on asylum seekers already in the UK, with £2.2bn expected to be spent on hotel bills alone this financial year.
A government spokesperson claimed that the decision to reduce aid spending was necessary to allow more money to be spent on defence and security. However, they acknowledged that food assistance is crucial for those in need and that the WFP remains a vital partner for the UK. The prime minister recently announced an additional £20m of UK aid to support water, sanitation, and hygiene services in Gaza, although this is a fraction of the cuts made to the WFP.
. It's hypocritical, right? And what really gets me is that this comes at a time when cases of starvation are on the rise - it's like we're talking about cutting the life support for people who need it most 
. I get that there might be budget constraints and all, but can't we find a way to make ends meet without putting so many lives at risk? 
the way Starmer has handled this is just mind-boggling - he's all about tackling hunger and starvation, but at the same time, he's cutting aid funding like there's no tomorrow 
it's not just about numbers, it's about people's lives on the line. i mean, who gets to decide that the UK can't afford to help people in need anymore? 
the stats are pretty damning too - cases of starvation are skyrocketing, and we're cutting funding for a programme that already struggled to keep up with demand 
it's just so frustrating, because on one hand, you've got Starmer talking about helping those in need, but on the other hand, you've got him making cuts that'll only make things worse 
. Like what's the plan here? The current aid spending was already super low and he goes ahead & cuts it more?! 
That's just gonna put people in real danger, fam. We should be investing in things that help people survive not just survive on the bare minimum 
. I get that times are tough, but cutting aid funding now is like kicking people when they're down 
. And what really grinds my gears is that some of the money meant for the WFP will be used to pay for hotel bills for asylum seekers already in the UK 
... it's just not right. I hope Keir Starmer rethinks this decision ASAP 
, before people start losing their lives over hunger.
. Is it fair to ask the most vulnerable members of our society to suffer for the sake of national defense or security? I think we need to have a deeper conversation about what kind of values we're trying to uphold as a society 
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! I mean, come on, you're all about tackling hunger and starvation one minute, then literally cut funding for the people who need it most by a third 
And don't even get me started on the hypocrisy, I mean, Starmer was talking about reversing the 0.7% target and now he's basically doubling down on that decision 
!
the uk was supposed to be a global leader in development but now it seems like we're just following the rest of the world down the toilet 
. I get that the UK wants to boost defense spending, but can't we find a way to help those in need without sacrificing so much? It's not just about the money, it's about human lives being lost because they don't have access to basic necessities 
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i mean, idk about the rest of europe but in africa & asia, uk aid is super important. 
starmer promised to tackle hunger and starvation but now hes cutting more aid spending than ever before whats going on here? 
i mean come on, ppl are dyin of starvation & he's still all about defsec 
but now starmer's just followin the con gov's lead 
It's not just about the money; it's about our values as a society. We should be working together to make sure everyone has access to food and water, regardless of where they're from. The fact that Starmer is doing the opposite feels like a huge step back.