Nearly 200 charities call on PM not to do a u-turn by reducing UK spend on aid

Nearly 200 UK humanitarian, development and domestic charity leaders, including The National Federation of Women’s Institutes, Save the Children, Greenpeace UK, Project Everyone, UNICEF UK and Friends of the Earth, are calling on the government to reconsider plans to reduce the proportion the UK spends on aid to 0.5%, rumoured to be announced as part of next week’s Spending Review.

In a letter signed by organisations responding to COVID-19 both here in the UK and globally, charity leaders said: “Any reductions in UK aid spend is a significant threat to development, and could seriously jeopardize the UK’s long term global COVID-19 response.”

“We understand the challenges and difficulties the UK public faces. COVID-19 has cost more than a million lives and has strained economies around the world, including in the UK. However, at a time when 115 million people look set to be pushed back into extreme poverty, now is the time for an international, collaborative response to COVID-19, as set out in your speech at the UN General Assembly.”

The government one-year Spending Review on 25th November is expected to include the announcement that the Chancellor plans to reduce the proportion the UK spends on aid from 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) to 0.5%.

Kevin Watkins, CEO of Save the Children said: “We are facing the worst humanitarian crisis in a generation alongside a global climate crisis. Next year the UK has an opportunity to lead the international response as the Prime Minister hosts the G7 and COP 26 climate summit. Abandoning the 0.7% aid commitment would surrender that opportunity and diminish the UK’s standing. It would deeply damage manifesto commitments to help end preventable child deaths and get every girl an education. The UK faces real financial challenges, but cutting aid would do huge harm to the world’s vulnerable people while making little difference to the Government’s budget overall. The Prime Minister should step up and show voters that a Global Britain is one that keeps its promises to people and the planet.”

John Sauven, Executive Director of Greenpeace UK said: “Many of the world’s poorest countries are already at the frontline of a climate crisis that they are not responsible for causing, and the recent pandemic has made the hardship and inequality they face even worse. Successful UK leadership at the global climate conference next year depends on the UK stepping up its financial support for these communities, not stripping it back. This proposal would directly hinder developing countries’ ability to tackle and adapt to the climate emergency. But it would also sour the UK’s diplomatic relationships in the run-up to the summit, with the risk of deepening global divisions in the race to achieve a successful outcome.”

The letter concludes: “2021 sees the UK host the G7 summit and COP26, the 26th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is a time that requires increased, not decreased, engagement from the British Government in its efforts to make the world healthier, safer and more prosperous.”

Organisations signing on to the open letter include; The National Federation of Women’s Institutes, Save the Children, Greenpeace UK, Scotland’s International Development Alliance, NCVO, World Vision UK, Unicef UK, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Christian Aid, World Jewish Relief, HelpAge International, WWF-UK,  Amref Health Africa UK, The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), Islamic Relief Worldwide, Tearfund, VSO International and TackleAfrica. 

ENDS 
Notes to editor 
1. On the 20th November 2020, 187 UK humanitarian, development and domestic charity leaders and organisations have written to the Prime Minister calling for him to uphold the UK’s commitment to spend 0.7% of our gross national income on aid and development , the full text can be found below
2. For further information or interviews please contact Maryam Mohsin on 07555 336029 or [email protected]     

Dear Prime Minister,

We write to you as leaders of 189 organisations, including from the UK’s domestic charity and international development and humanitarian sectors, working with some of the most vulnerable and marginalised communities in more than 200 countries around the world, including the UK.  

We understand the challenges and difficulties the UK public faces. COVID-19 has cost more than a million lives and has strained economies around the world, including in the UK. However, at a time when 115 million people look set to be pushed back into extreme poverty, now is the time for an international, collaborative response to COVID-19, as set out in your speech at the UN General Assembly. Now is not the time to renege on our promise to spend 0.7% of our gross national income on aid and development. Stepping back from our international commitments is not the solution and risks damaging the UK’s standing globally as we define our role in the world post-Brexit.

The legal commitment to spend 0.7% of GNI on aid already allows for fluctuations of the UK economy, enabling the government to recoup nearly £3billion worth of spending this year. A u-turn on your manifesto commitment to maintain the 0.7% target would signal we are a nation willing to balance its books on the backs of the world’s most marginalised people, many of whom are dealing with the impact of COVID-19 on top of existing hardship.

This pandemic has shown us that no-one is safe from this virus until we are all safe. The UK’s experience and credibility as a “development superpower”, rooted in its commitment and expertise, means it has a critical leadership role to play in helping strengthen global health systems and peacebuilding, tackle global challenges and reduce poverty to reduce the risks to us all from the next pandemic.  

Now is not the time to signal a withdrawal on the world stage by reneging on the Government’s commitment. 2021 sees the UK host the G7 summit and COP26, the 26th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is a time that requires increased, not decreased, engagement from the British Government in its efforts to make the world healthier, safer and more prosperous. We hope we can work with you to ensure that this is the case.

Signed,

Stephanie Draper, Chief Executive, Bond
Sam Bickersteth, CEO, Opportunity International
Ruth Davison, CEO, Comic Relief
Kate Garvey, Gail Gallie and Richard Curtis, Co-Founders, Project Everyone
Professor Ian J. Govendir, CEO, AIDS orphan UK Trust
Graeme Hodge, CEO, All We Can
Dr. Nick Hepworth, Executive Director, Water Witness International
Josephine Rodgers, Executive Director, Access Agriculture
Dr. Mikey Rosato, CEO, Women and Children First (UK)
Onyekachi Wambu, Executive Director, African Foundation for Development (AFFORD)
Anita Tiessen, CEO, Youth Business International (YBI)
Monowara Gani, CEO, Doctors Worldwide
Tom Potokar, OBE, Professor of Global Burn Injury & Director of Interburns, Interburns (International Network for Training, Education & Research in Burns)
Michael Deriaz, Chairman, Friends of Kipkelion
Clare Wearden, Director, Village Water Limited
Jean-Michel Grand, Executive Director, Action Against Hunger UK
Calvin Laing, Acting Executive Director, Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN)
Caoimhe de Barra, CEO, Trócaire
Jane Salmonson, Chief Executive, Scotland’s International Development Alliance
Mark Galloway, Executive Director, International Broadcasting Trust
Ognjen Radosavljevic, Managing Director, International Medical Corps UK
Nick Grono, CEO, The Freedom Fund
Jamie Balfour-Paul, Founder and Performing Magician, Magic for Smiles
John Reynolds, Chief Executive, International Nepal Fellowship
John Young, Executive Director, The International Network for Advancing Science and Policy (INASP)
Rachel Lindley, CEO, Five Talents
Robin Maynard, Executive Director, Population Matters
Hyejoung Yang, Director, Good Neighbours UK
Peter Waddup, National Director, The Leprosy Mission England and Wales
Mr Saul Billingsley, Executive Director, FIA Foundation
Benjamin Gilbert, International Projects Team Leader, The Salvation Army, UK
Philip Goodwin, Chief Executive, VSO International
Elizabeth Nelson, Director, Search for Common Ground UK
Lucy Philipson, CEO, COCO (Comrades of Children Overseas)
Caroline Qutteneh, Director, Welfare Association
Michael Dockar, Director, International Service
Kavita Prasad, CEO, DeafKidz International
Julian Page, Trustee and Director, Livingstone Tanzania Trust
Shona Lockyer, Chair of Trustees, The Kambia Appeal
Phil Pugsley, CEO, Amigos Worldwide
Karl Hankinson, CEO, Able Child Africa
Tom Edwards, Director, PHASE Worldwide
David Hulme, OBE, Professor of Development Studies, Global Development Institute
Tom Kingsley, National Director, Light for the World UK
Terina Keene, Group Chief Executive, Railway Children
Anil Patil, Founder and Executive Director, Carers Worldwide
Olivia Barker White, CEO, Kids Club Kampala
Bert R Smit, CEO, ADRA-UK
Nigel Harris, Chief Executive, Tearfund
Jessica Woodroffe, Director, Gender & Development Network
Lara Allen, CEO, Centre for Global Equality
Meena Varma, Director, Dalit Solidarity Network UK
Caroline Ford, Chief Executive, Consortium for Street Children
Dr. Wendy Harrison, CEO, SCI Foundation
Mark Sheard, CEO, World Vision UK
Jonathan Dudding, Director, ICA:UK
Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell, CEO, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage
Erica Belanger, Executive Director, SafeHands
Professor Melissa Leach, Director, Institute of Development Studies
Hamid Azad, CEO, Muntada Aid
Jill Healey, Executive Director, ChildHope UK
Asif Hussain, CEO, SKT Welfare
Peter Marsden, CEO, Concordis International
Tricia Young, CEO, Terre des hommes UK
Jasmina Haynes, CEO, Integrity Action
Adele Paterson, CEO, International Health Partners
Alex Daniels, Chief Executive, APT Action on Poverty
Kirsty Smith, CEO, CBM UK
Paul Smith Lomas, Chief Executive, Practical Action
Mr Darren Cormack, Chief Executive, The Mines Advisory Group (MAG)
Henry Pomeroy, Director, CHASE Africa
Jim Emerson, Chief Executive, INTRAC
Dr. Stephen R. Connor, Executive Director, Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance
Joshua Castellino, Executive Director, Minority Rights Group
David Hope-Jones, OBE, Chief Executive, Scotland Malawi Partnership
Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive, Oxfam Great Britain
Justin Dowds, CEO, Compassion UK
Bijay Kumar, Executive Director, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR)
Claire O’Shea, Head of Partnership, Hub Cymru Africa
Kevin Watkins, Chief Executive, Save the Children
David Evans, UK Country Director, Ace Africa UK
Martin Hartberg, Director, NRC UK
Martin Drewry, CEO, Health Poverty Action
Christopher Williams, Chairman, RTpay
Petter Matthews, Executive Director, Engineers Against Poverty
Camilla Knox-Peebles, Chief Executive, Amref Health Africa UK
Andrew Betts, Director, Advantage Africa
Jon Rosser, Chief Executive, World Child Cancer
Andrew Norton, Director, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
Christine Allen, Director, The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
Caroline Haworth, CEO, Womankind Worldwide
Dr. Christine Sow, CEO & President, Humentum
Aleema Shivji, Chief Executive, Humanity & Inclusion UK
Charles Nelson, Chief Executive, Malaria Consortium
Julian Olivier, Chief Executive, Raleigh International
Paul Murphy, Executive Director, Saferworld
Vinny Smith, Chief Executive, Meningitis Research Foundation
Christina Bennett, CEO, Start Network
Jacqui Hunt, Director Europe/Eurasia Office, Equality Now
Fiona Bristow, Director, Kanaama Interactive Community Support
Debbie Ariyo, OBE, CEO, AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children
Peter McAllister, Executive Director, Ethical Trading Initiative
Jimmy Innes, CEO, ADD International
Lewis Temple, Chief Executive, BRAC UK
Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive, WaterAid
Patrick Fine, CEO, FHI 360
Justin W. van Fleet, President, Theirworld
Patricia Alexander, Managing Director, Shared Interest Society
Patrick Young, Executive Director, Theatre for a Change
Nick Mabey, CEO, E3G (Third Generation Environmentalism)
Anna-mai Andrews and Katie Fowler, Co-CEOs, Chance for Childhood
Richard Kramer, Chief Executive, Sense International
Ian Shapiro, CEO, Reall
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Executive Director, Kaleidoscope Trust
Ceris Turner-Bailes, Chief Executive, WasteAid
Marie Rumsby, UK Country Director, Global Citizen
Paul Cornelius, CEO, Food for the Hungry UK
Julian Watson, Director, Mbedza Projects Support
Dr. Husna Ahmad, OBE, CEO, Global One 2015
Jasmine O’Connor, OBE, CEO, Anti-Slavery International
Nancy E. Wilson, CEO, Relief International – UK
Tonderai Mazingaizo, Director of Operations, Afghanaid
Ian Wishart, CEO, The Fred Hollows Foundation
Jenny Hodgson, Executive Director, Global Fund for Community Foundations
Helen McEachern, CEO, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
Dr. Patrick Roach, General Secretary, NASUWT
Chris Roles, Managing Director, Age International
Frances Hill, Chair, Board of Trustees, South West International Development Network (SWIDN)
Charlie Gamble, CEO, TackleAfrica
David Hillman, Director, Stamp Out Poverty
Alexandra Angulo, Interim Executive Director, MERCY CORPS
Paul Anticoni, Chief Executive, World Jewish Relief
Justin Derbyshire, CEO, HelpAge International
Ben Simms, CEO, The Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET)
Matthew Lake, CEO, Dhaka Ahsania Mission UK
Ciaran Maguire, Chief Executive, Karuna Trust
Vicky Browning, CEO, ACEVO
Alison Wallace, CEO, SOS Children’s Villages UK
Romilly Greenhill, UK Director, ONE Campaign
Melissa Green, General Secretary, The National Federation of Women’s Institutes
Danielle Harvey, Executive Director, Concern Worldwide (UK)
Naser Haghamed, CEO, Islamic Relief Worldwide
Chris Roles, Managing Director, Age International
Jonathan Hargreaves, Director, Health Communication Resources UK
Girish Menon, Chief Executive, ActionAid UK
Dr. Caroline Harper, CEO, Sightsavers
Tanya Steele, CEO, WWF-UK
Rob Williams, CEO, War Child UK
Dr. Joel C. Gill, Executive Director, Geology for Global Development
Mike Young, CEO, International Alert
Lorraine Currie, Head of Integral Human Development Department, Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
Justin Derbyshire, Chief Executive, HelpAge International
Michael Gidney, CEO, The Fairtrade Foundation
Hannah Nixon, Campaign Manager, Send My Friend to School
Katie Husselby, Coordinator, Action for Global Health Network
Tony Burdon, CEO, Make My Money Matter
Valerie Wilson, Founder and CEO, Team Kenya
Paul Stuart, CEO, Send a Cow
Catherine McCarthy, Chief Executive, Medical Aid Films
Rebecca Cronin, CEO, Orbis UK
Jonathan Cohen, OBE, Executive Director, Conciliation Resources
Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, Chief Executive, Christian Aid
Alexandra Benjamin, Forest Governance Campaigner, Fern
Tiziana Oliva, Managing Director Global Influencing and Programmes, Leonard Cheshire
Perry Maddox, CEO, Restless Development
Rose Caldwell, CEO, Plan International UK
Dylan Mathews, Chief Executive, Peace Direct
Max Barber, Trustee, AzuKo
Sarah Ingleby, CEO, Tools for Self Reliance
Andy Pask, CEO, Cord
Tom Dannatt, CEO, Founder, Street Child
Mark Waddington, CBE, CEO, Hope and Homes for Children
Aaron Oxley, Executive Director, RESULTS UK
Lynne Morris, CEO, Toybox
Miriam Turner and Hugh Knowles, Co-CEOs, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
John Sauven, Executive Director, Greenpeace UK
Laurie Lee, Chief Executive, CARE International UK
Andrew Jowett, OBE, CEO, Build It International
Steven Waugh, Interim Executive Director, Unicef UK
Karl Wilding, Chief Executive, NCVO
Caron Bradshaw, Chief Executive, Charity Finance Group
Debra Allcock Tyler, Chief Executive, DSC
Harriet Lamb, CEO, Ashden
Christine Stegling, Executive Director, Frontline AIDS
Dr. Sally Uren, OBE CEO, Forum for the Future
Charlotte Timson, CEO, Traidcraft Exchange
Othman Moqbel, Chief Executive, Syria Relief
Irfan Khan, Director, Humanitarian and International Partnerships Muslim Hands
Grethe Petersen, CEO, Orchid Project