These leading figures, including spies, military leaders, and politicians, are asking the prime minister to use more of the UK’s reduced international aid budget to prevent wars. If not, they say, the government will face a “global conflict crisis” with reduced resources.
The letter to Sir Keir Starmer, shared with Sky News, highlights that more countries are experiencing violent conflict than at any time since the Second World War. This disrupts economies and moves attention away from issues like human rights, climate change, and gender equality. The letter is signed by former MI5 directors and a former national security adviser, among others.
“They recommend that the government invest in development and diplomacy along with defense to strengthen national security. They are not asking for the overseas aid budget to be reversed but for the government to prioritize conflict prevention and peacebuilding in the reduced budget. The UK currently spends between 1-1.5% of its overseas aid on these efforts, a significant drop from the 4% in 2018.”
“Without proper funding, the UK risks facing the global conflict crisis with diminished resources,” the letter warns. The signatories want an all-of-government approach to tackling conflict included in the upcoming national security strategy before a NATO summit next week.
