PM must listen to Jenrick and cut foreign aid
I trust that the Prime Minister and his Cabinet not only read but act upon Robert Jenrick’s excellent article last week about the urgent need to increase spending on defence. He says that halving the aid budget would free up £7 billion a year. Most likely it would, but the trouble is our armed forces have been cut to the bone so much over the past few years that it would take a long time to put right. Mark Iles, Newark
At last, an MP is telling the truth about our wasteful international aid, asking why on earth Britain sends millions of pounds to nuclear states such as China, India and Pakistan instead of using it for defence. Marcus Macleod, High Wycombe
Robert Jenrick’s call to halve the foreign aid budget and put it into our woeful defence budget is common sense. I would add that by stopping the constant arrival of illegal boats we could add another few million pounds per day. Paul Mackintosh, Darlington
I totally agree with what Robert Jenrick is saying, so why aren’t we doing it? If China and India can pay for space programmes, they can take care of their own country. Chinese infrastructure is better than ours so why are we funding them? This Government has totally lost its way in pursuit of its own business interests and has no interest in the security of the country. B. Torres, Gloucester
Overseas aid should have been stopped a long time ago. We borrow to give away – it’s pure madness. There’s nothing wrong with helping protectorates and overseas territories, but no other aid should be given. Sophie Holly, York
People may disagree with what the foreign aid budget is spent on, but it is an important part of ensuring that we maintain some sort of presence on the world stage. And it’s not always giving handouts – often it’s providing technical support and expertise. Given the serious global issues this country has caused or contributed to (slavery, colonialism etc) the least we can do is help those that need it. Mary Ashley, London
If I said to my family that we are thousands of pounds in debt but I think we should borrow more money to give away to charity, I wonder what any sane person would say. That’s what our so-called Government is doing. C. Brown, Salford
The public want aid stopped, the MPs want aid stopped – so why is it not stopped? Civil servants in those departments will need to be redeployed or lose their jobs. It’s like turkeys voting for Christmas. A. Thatcher, Ripon