Kirsty McNeill, the United Kingdom's new Development Minister, has stated her commitment to doubling foreign aid spending, aligning with the Labour party's manifesto pledge to allocate 0.7 percent of the nation's gross national income (GNI) to overseas development.
McNeill, who described herself as "a huge believer in aid," emphasized the potential for increased impact with greater funding. "When you have more of it, you can have more impact," she told The Guardian. She also indicated a focus on reforming international bodies that manage UK aid funds and maximizing the effectiveness of existing budgets. The foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, has positioned development and climate initiatives as central to British policy, according to McNeill.
This pledge comes amid criticism of Labour's stance on defense spending. While the party has committed to increasing defense spending from 2.6% to 2.7% of GDP by the end of the decade, this falls short of a 3% target that former defense secretary John Healey advocated for. Healey resigned from his post in June over the leadership's refusal to commit to the higher defense spending threshold.
The shift towards increasing foreign aid marks a departure from the previous Conservative government's policy, which reduced aid spending to 0.5% of GNI, and a further cut to 0.3% under Sir Keir Starmer's leadership. Meeting the 0.7% target would significantly increase annual spending, with estimates suggesting an additional £11 billion per year on top of the approximately £9.2 billion projected for 2027. This proposed increase in aid spending would substantially outweigh the recently agreed-upon £4 billion rise in defense expenditure.
McNeill's remarks were made in anticipation of a speech outlining Labour's approach to international development, which she stated would focus on "mutual interest and shared resilience," asserting that global challenges require international cooperation.