In response to Keir Starmer’s speech on the strategic defence review earlier today, Save the Children has warned that further cuts to the UK’s aid budget would be catastrophic — endangering children’s lives around the world and undermining the UK’s own safety and security.
Reacting to the speech, Lisa Wise, Director of Global Policy, Advocacy & Research at Save the Children UK, said:
“Slashing aid doesn’t just weaken our global response to crises — it puts lives at risk and jeopardises our security. The UK’s security and economy depend on global stability. Conflict, poverty, and climate disasters drive displacement, fuel instability, and ultimately threaten our safety at home.
“We cannot stress this enough: aid is not just a lifeline protecting children and families — it’s also about acting early to stop crises from spiralling into global emergencies, where the human and financial cost becomes unbearable. No child should have to face a world where essential aid is taken away as if it’s unavoidable. For many, this means being left with hunger, suffering, and impossible choices.”
ENDS