Podcast special: the global role of British aid
Best of the Spectator
The Spectator
4.4 • 785 Ratings
🗓️ 19 December 2022
⏱️ 45 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Britain has always been a nation with a global mindset. But in times of crisis, do we need to reprioritise our commitments? What does the future look like for international development projects around the world?
On this special podcast from The Spectator, economics editor Kate Andrews has spoken to some of those on the frontline of international development. She's joined by Rory Stewart, former secretary of state for international development who is currently the CEO of the NGO Give Directly; David Davis, former Conservative party leader; Daniel Hannan, former Conservative MEP and now advisor to the government's Board of Trade; Degan Ali, CEO of Kenya-based NGO Adeso; and Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta, a global health expert at the University of Toronto.
This podcast is the second of a mini-series taking a look at Britain in the world, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. You can listen to the first episode here.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Good morning from the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. |
| 0:03.0 | Gunfire and explosions have been heard here and in the second city of Kharkiv, |
| 0:08.0 | shortly after the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, authorized a special military operation. |
| 0:17.0 | Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine shock the world. |
| 0:24.6 | Whilst fighting is happening in Europe, repercussions have been felt around the globe. |
| 0:30.5 | The grain shortages as a result of the war will lead to a disastrous situation worldwide. |
| 0:36.4 | The conflict in Ukraine and the sanctions on Russia have led to another surge in the cost of oil and gas. |
| 0:39.3 | Urgently, we have to address the energy crisis. The cost of living in the UK is rising and it's changing people's lives. |
| 0:43.3 | Disruption to trade and supply chains means a rapidly worsening outlook for international development, |
| 0:50.3 | making it harder to reach those that need support the most. |
| 0:53.3 | Meanwhile, the UK's COVID recovery |
| 0:56.0 | and the growing fiscal black hole in the public finances have forced Britain to make tough |
| 1:01.0 | decisions about where that money goes, throwing into question its position as a world leader |
| 1:05.9 | when it comes to international development and with it the reputation of global Britain. |
| 1:11.2 | Sticking rigidly to spending 0.7% of our national income on overseas aid is difficult to justify |
| 1:18.5 | to the British people. The details and impact of the cuts to the foreign aid budget are |
| 1:23.4 | only now beginning to emerge. Newsnight has learned that the government is funding the entire cost of housing Ukrainian refugees |
| 1:29.5 | from the existing overseas aid budget. |
| 1:32.9 | On this special episode from The Spectator, |
| 1:35.6 | we have spoken to politicians and experts |
| 1:37.3 | who are well-first in the international development debate. |
| 1:40.7 | I'm Kate Andrews, the Spectator's economics editor, |
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