BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire put Labour’s Luke Pollard on the spot over Keir Starmer’s controversial decision to cut foreign aid to boost defence spending.
During a heated exchange on Newsnight, she pressed the defence minister on criticism from within his own party, quoting a former Labour frontbencher who reportedly called the move “effing awful” and “nuts.”
Foreign Aid Slashed to Fund Defence Hike
Starmer announced on Tuesday that the UK will increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027—three years earlier than originally planned. However, to fund this, the government will slash the foreign aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP.
The timing is no coincidence. Starmer is set to meet Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday, and the former US president has been pushing European nations to spend more on defence.
‘It’s Nuts’—Labour Minister’s Brutal Verdict
On Newsnight, Derbyshire confronted Pollard with a scathing quote from an unnamed former Labour minister:
“This is effing awful. It’s so short-sighted. It’s not helping the countries that are the source of so many problems. It’s nuts. It’s all about preparing for Thursday in the White House.”
Asked for his response, Pollard dismissed the criticism.
“I don’t know who that is, but I think they’re wrong,” he said. “We face serious threats, and we made a manifesto commitment to increase defence spending. The prime minister has set out a clear plan to raise it to 2.5% from April 2027 and 3% in the next parliament.
“That’s a prudent and necessary response to the threats we’re facing. The first duty of any government is to keep the country safe, and that means taking tough decisions.”
Labour Figures and Charities Slam the Move
The decision has faced fierce backlash from senior Labour figures and international aid charities.
Among the critics is David Miliband, former Labour cabinet minister and now CEO of the International Rescue Committee. He warned the cut was a “blow to Britain’s proud reputation as a global humanitarian leader.”
With Starmer preparing to shake hands with Trump, critics argue this decision is more about political optics than national security.
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