‘Sweat the asset’: new development minister plots path to make UK aid count
New UK development minister Kirsty McNeill has reaffirmed the Labour government's commitment to restoring aid spending to 0.7% of GDP when fiscal conditions permit. She emphasized the need to maximize the impact of current resources by focusing on five key security areas, including health and climate. Additionally, the minister announced a £15 million fund to support preventive humanitarian actions in regions threatened by severe El Niño conditions.
- ▪Kirsty McNeill, the new development minister, stated that the government will return to the 0.7% of GDP aid target when fiscal circumstances allow.
- ▪The government is allocating up to £15 million from its humanitarian crisis fund to support preventive measures against the impacts of El Niño.
- ▪McNeill plans to focus on five securities: health, climate, food, human, and economic security to optimize the effectiveness of current aid budgets.
- ▪Charities have warned that recent cuts reducing aid to 0.3% of national income have caused significant reductions in support for the world's poorest countries.
- ▪The minister argued that public concern is primarily about value for money rather than the principle of aid, promising to 'sweat the asset' to ensure better outcomes.
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| Publication time | Sun, 13 Sep 2026 21:30:14 GMT |
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‘I’m a huge believer in the quality of British aid, and when you have more of it, you can have more impact,’ said McNeill. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The GuardianView image in fullscreen‘I’m a huge believer in the quality of British aid, and when you have more of it, you can have more impact,’ said McNeill. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The GuardianForeign policy‘Sweat the asset’: new development minister plots path to make UK aid count Kirsty McNeill reaffirms Labour’s 0.7% of GDP pledge and promises value for money to allay voter concernsSupported byAbout this contentHeather Stewart Economics editor Sun 13 Sep 2026 17.30 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe development minister, Kirsty McNeill, has declared herself “a huge believer in aid”, as she reaffirmed Labour’s manifesto pledge to…
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