This isn’t something I’d usually say… but it’s time to talk about cutting the UK aid budget (thread 1/14

The UK’s aid budget is pegged to its economic performance - so if the economy ever falls, so should our aid contributions. That is one of the benefits of the 0.7 commitment - we’re never expected to give beyond our means. 2/14

It’s unusual for the economy to contract - but the Covid-19 has placed extraordinary constraints on growth and its right that spending on aid should reflect that. 3/14

The Government has also - rightly - invested up front in big global health programmes such as Gavi that will tackle the pandemic head on. That’s the smart thing to do. 4/14

But it increases pressure on other parts of the aid budget. We’re hearing rumours of departments being asked by @RishiSunak to identify 30% in cuts to aid. As is always the case with spending cuts, the big question is where this money comes from. 5/14

The worst possible response would be to take away from vital programmes supporting the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people at a moment when they're under real threat from the pandemic and its side effects. 6/14

We also need to make sure we protect spending that will help the UK in the longer term, like building up health systems in poor countries and supporting fragile states 7/14

Making universal cuts across the board would almost certainly impact on these vital programmes, damaging both the lives of poor people and UK citizens in the long term. 8/14

But are there other parts of the UK’s aid budget that aren’t as essential? 9/14

The honest answer to that question is yes… unfortunately latest analysis from @ONEintheUK shows that in 2018 nearly £1.6billion in aid couldn’t demonstrate how it was fighting poverty 10/14

Some aid programmes don’t publish any information about what they’re achieving. Put simply that’s the wrong use of this money. 11/14

If @RishiSunak and @DominicRaab are serious about spending UK taxpayers money well, they should look to cut this phoney aid first, before targeting essential programmes that help to save lives, lift millions out of poverty and make the world healthier and safer. 12/14

The worst possible outcome of this pandemic would be for the world’s poorest people to carry the greatest burden - but that’s avoidable. 13/14

However, it requires @RishiSunak to approach these cuts with the precision of the brain surgeon’s knife, rather than the gardener’s scythe. 14/14