Zoe Gardner

Well, I think there's a real general feeling that 2.5% is not enough and it's not soon enough because it's by 2027. But I think what is maybe more key here is Zakir Starmer's language. So he spoke pretty passionately in the House of Commons about the need for this, about how they didn't want to cut foreign aid, about how the Labour Party still see foreign aid as valuable.

Well, I think there's a real general feeling that 2.5% is not enough and it's not soon enough because it's by 2027. But I think what is maybe more key here is Zakir Starmer's language. So he spoke pretty passionately in the House of Commons about the need for this, about how they didn't want to cut foreign aid, about how the Labour Party still see foreign aid as valuable.

But they note that the global situation has changed. And I suspect for Donald Trump... and for what he wants to do for the US, which is bolster its position in the world, make it the kind of strongman of the world, that just having the power and the influence to get countries to change their position will be enough to placate him.

But they note that the global situation has changed. And I suspect for Donald Trump... and for what he wants to do for the US, which is bolster its position in the world, make it the kind of strongman of the world, that just having the power and the influence to get countries to change their position will be enough to placate him.

I think this is more about the politics than about the numbers at the minute. Whether that will hold in the long run, if the US continues to feel like they're overpaying compared to other countries is a different question.

I think this is more about the politics than about the numbers at the minute. Whether that will hold in the long run, if the US continues to feel like they're overpaying compared to other countries is a different question.

I think there's a couple of things here. I think the first is that there is cross-party consensus on the need to increase defence spending. Going for the foreign aid budget as opposed to other kind of public services is interesting because actually there is a lot of popularity for foreign aid in this country. Politicians haven't done very well.

I think there's a couple of things here. I think the first is that there is cross-party consensus on the need to increase defence spending. Going for the foreign aid budget as opposed to other kind of public services is interesting because actually there is a lot of popularity for foreign aid in this country. Politicians haven't done very well.

well at selling what foreign aid does i think there's a feeling that it's often misused um that it it goes to kind of building communities when we've got problems at home actually foreign aid keeps us safe and there's strong arguments on both the left of the political spectrum and the right of the political spectrum for the the utility of foreign aid you know you'll hear conservatives making impassioned arguments for foreign aid as well as politicians on the left um

well at selling what foreign aid does i think there's a feeling that it's often misused um that it it goes to kind of building communities when we've got problems at home actually foreign aid keeps us safe and there's strong arguments on both the left of the political spectrum and the right of the political spectrum for the the utility of foreign aid you know you'll hear conservatives making impassioned arguments for foreign aid as well as politicians on the left um

But it's quite an easy thing to go for, especially because we've seen Kemi Badenock going for foreign aid recently. Donald Trump obviously cut the US's own foreign aid budget. It's one of those things where I think it's probably the low hanging fruit, the easiest to go for because it has the public doesn't particularly like or understand it.

But it's quite an easy thing to go for, especially because we've seen Kemi Badenock going for foreign aid recently. Donald Trump obviously cut the US's own foreign aid budget. It's one of those things where I think it's probably the low hanging fruit, the easiest to go for because it has the public doesn't particularly like or understand it.

And other politicians seem to be targeting it at the minute.

And other politicians seem to be targeting it at the minute.

I think so. You know, there is a feeling that if we as the West stop providing money to various projects or various communities that have relied on foreign aid, there is a vacuum which another wealthy country who we might not have our interests aligning with could fill it. And I think that is the worry here. And you're absolutely right that there is community and nation building in foreign aid.

I think so. You know, there is a feeling that if we as the West stop providing money to various projects or various communities that have relied on foreign aid, there is a vacuum which another wealthy country who we might not have our interests aligning with could fill it. And I think that is the worry here. And you're absolutely right that there is community and nation building in foreign aid.

But there's also things like vaccination programs. You know, there is a real argument that foreign aid actually keeps us safer in the long term. It may prevent crises. It may prevent war. It may prevent people from getting sick and more pandemics. So actually cutting aid doesn't just have domestic implications for those countries. It has global ones as well.

But there's also things like vaccination programs. You know, there is a real argument that foreign aid actually keeps us safer in the long term. It may prevent crises. It may prevent war. It may prevent people from getting sick and more pandemics. So actually cutting aid doesn't just have domestic implications for those countries. It has global ones as well.

I guess in that situation, you have to squeeze back, right? Oh, yes. You have to out-squeeze the person who's squeezing you. This is why I can never be a politician.

I guess in that situation, you have to squeeze back, right? Oh, yes. You have to out-squeeze the person who's squeezing you. This is why I can never be a politician.