London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Sep 11, 2026

UK Gov’t disregards law to cut aid spending

UK Gov’t disregards law to cut aid spending

British MP, Dominic R. Raab, who serves as Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State in the United Kingdom Government of Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, has been warned that he is breaking the law from Thursday, April 1, 2021, when a cut to the UK’s international aid budget comes into force without being approved by Parliament.

The Genisis of the development is that at a spending review in 2020, the chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said the UK would temporarily reduce its aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% of national income, according to the Guardian.

Spending target enshrined in law


MPs have said the decrease is likely to become permanent, with one MP describing the idea that the government would ever choose to put aid spending back. However, the 0.7% target is enshrined in law, meaning the government should bring forward a vote on reducing it, however, this was not fone.

According to a report from ‘The i” a British publication, a group of 28 MPs from seven different political parties have since written to Mr Raab claiming he is in breach of the law by failing to reach the 0.7 per cent goal instituted by David Cameron.

“The ex-Director of Public Prosecutions, Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, has recently investigated the legality of the Government’s failure to pass new legislation before the development cut was announced. He was clear that the International Development Act 2015 does not make provision to change the 0.7 per cent target itself, only to miss it.”

Layla M. Moran, the Liberal Democrats’ aid spokesperson told 'The i", “We are asking Dominic Raab to tell us what checks and processes this decision went through before being made."

Layla M. Moran, the Liberal Democrats’ aid spokesperson told 'The i', 'We are asking Dominic Raab to tell us what checks and processes this decision went through before being made.'


Johnson's Gov't bypassed parliamentary process


"We also urge him to bring this to Parliament for a vote when we return from Recess, even though it would be retrospective. The clear intention of the current law cannot be ridden roughshod over,” she said.

The lastest backlash comes as Johnson's Government has been avoiding checks and balances into its governance, including an inquiry into its disastrous handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The i" reported that when it comes to the cut in aid spending, critics have claimed that the Government does not want to hold a vote because it is nervous about the size of any Conservative backbench rebellion where as many as 30 Conservative MPs could oppose the cut.

Ironically, it is the same UK Government that has backed a controversial Commission of Inquiry into Governance in the Virgin Islands.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
John Lewis Partnership Loss Widens to £124 Million
UK Government to Put White Working-Class Social Mobility at Centre of Equality Policy
McLaren Plans £450 Million Technology Investment Creating 1,000 UK Jobs
UK Chancellor Faces Calls for Wealth Taxes and Public Ownership in Autumn Budget
English Mayors to Gain Powers to Impose Uncapped Overnight Tourist Taxes
JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon Warns UK Government Against Bank Windfall Taxes
UK Air Traffic Control Outage Cancels More Than 2,000 Flights
UK Imposes Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements in the West Bank
UK Borrowing Costs Surge as Middle East Tensions Push Long-Term Gilt Yields to Highest Since 1998
Buckingham Palace Says Prince Harry and Meghan Will Not Resume Official Royal Duties
UK Treasury Faces Calls to Scrap £100,000 Childcare Support Threshold
Trades Union Congress Urges Labour Government to Rewrite Migration Policy
Riot Police Deployed After Anti-Migrant Protests Turn Violent in Portsmouth
UK Considers Replacing Some Disability Cash Payments With Direct Services
JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon Warns UK Chancellor Against Higher Banking Taxes
UK Announces New Sanctions Targeting Israeli Settlements in West Bank
Metropolitan Police Investigate Alleged Illegal Donations to Reform UK
UK Charges Wiltshire Man With Assisting Russian Intelligence
UK Orders Urgent Review After Air Traffic Failure Cancels More Than 2,000 Flights
Merz Rebukes AfD Expansion in Saxony-Anhalt
King Charles Confirms Prince Harry and Meghan Will Remain Private Citizens
Labour Selects Former Child Refugee for By-Election in Keir Starmer’s Former Seat
Foreign Private Equity Accelerates Takeovers of London-Listed Industrial Companies
NHS Maternity Care Faces Scrutiny Over Support for Mothers After Caesarean Births
BBC Warns Staff Strikes Are Likely Amid Job Cuts and Programme Cancellations
English Housing Affordability Improves to Best Level in More Than a Decade
UK Health Commission Proposes Framework for Wider AI Adoption Across NHS
Labour Faces Pressure for Wealth Tax Ahead of Autumn Budget
Metropolitan Police Open Criminal Investigation Into Alleged Foreign Donations to Reform UK
UK Police Deploy Riot Officers After Anti-Immigration Unrest in Portsmouth and Dover
UK Defends Sanctions on Israeli Settlements Despite Diplomatic Retaliation
UK Air Traffic Control Failure Cancels More Than 1,000 Flights and Disrupts 65,000 Passengers
Compass Urges £10 Million Wealth Tax and Public Ownership Ahead of UK Autumn Budget
UK Government’s Devolution Plans Face House of Lords Scrutiny
Maldives Seeks New Chagos Sovereignty Talks With UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham
UK Airports Face Continuing Disruption After National Air Traffic Control Failure
UK Bans Imports From Israeli Settlements and Expands Sanctions on Iran
British Chambers of Commerce Forecasts UK Growth of 1% as Investment Remains Weak
UK Suspends Local Government Reorganisation Decisions and Cancels Planned Shadow Authority Polls
UK Parliament Opens Inquiry Into Gaps in Climate Change Preparedness
Andy Burnham and Xi Jinping Hold Talks on Trade, Security and British Consular Cases
UK Joins France, Canada and Other Nations in Measures Against Israeli West Bank Settlements
UK Announces New Sanctions Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Networks
British Chambers of Commerce Calls for Business Rate Reform and Productivity Support
UK Farmers Warn Dry Summer Could Reduce Crop Yields and Push Up Food Prices
UK Rail Networks Hit by Widespread Delays After Major Signalling Failures
Matt Clifford Resigns as ARIA Chair After Conflict-of-Interest Scrutiny
UK and France Say Joint Border Operations Have Prevented More Than 48,000 Irregular Channel Crossings
UK Core Inflation Remains Above Expectations as Utility and Commodity Costs Stay Elevated
Jaguar Land Rover Considers Up to 4,000 UK Job Cuts Amid Automotive Industry Pressure
×