Cut to overseas aid betrays inward looking Little Englander attitude

The government has rightly received much criticism for its mean-spirited cut to overseas aid. The cut of £4 billion reduced the amount going to poorer nations to 0.5% of Gross National Income (GNI) Previously, a commitment was made to pay 0.7% of GNI in aid – in line with the UN recommendations. The cut has been justified on the back of belt tightening due to the cost of the Covid pandemic. The £4 billion saved though is a drop in the ocean, against the £400 billion so far expended in dealing with Covid. At a time when the whole world is struggling to overcome the pandemic, it seems incredible to cut support to some of the poorest countries on earth. The idea that the cut needs to be made simply doesn’t stack up, especially when put against some of the wastefulness of this government. The billions expended on an inadequate track and trace system, the costly contracts for Personal Protective Equipment, not to mention the latest hit to the economy as a result of letting the Delta variant into the country in April. Unfortunately, the rationale for the cut to aid is more likely found in the Little Englander nationalist attitude that is so prevalent in the present government. The worse sort of dog whistle politics. Back in 2014/15, cutting aid together with leaving the EU and the negative attitude to migrants were the standpoints of UKIP. The previous Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron was so concerned about the threat of UKIP that he decided to assimilate many of their policies. An attitude taken to the next level by the present incumbent of Downing Street, Boris Johnson. This led down a path that began with the EU referendum and adopting anti-migrant policies leading onto cutting overseas aid. It is an ungenerous, small minded sort of nationalism, not seen in the UK for many a year. A drawing back into isolation from the world. President Donald Trump represented the same sort of divisive politics in the US. Fortunately, there has been an outcry against the cut to overseas aid, not least from Conservative backbench MPs. This has been supported by other parties and more widely in the country. What the Covid pandemic has shown is that we are one world, the sum of all our parts. An attack on one is an attack on all. Now is not the time to be backing away into some Little Englander silo - we must reach out and help others, as and when needed. It is not only the right moral thing to do but failure to do so might just one day see others not reaching out to help the UK at its most difficult times of need.