Britain’s most prominent philanthropist Sir Chris Hohn has criticised the government’s deep cuts to international aid, describing them as cruel and devastating for millions of vulnerable people worldwide.
Sir Chris, a billionaire hedge fund manager and co-founder of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), has donated billions to charities over recent decades. In 2023 alone, he gave away more than $923 million, including an extra $328 million through CIFF to help offset the shortfall left by aid budget reductions.
The Labour government, under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, announced in February that the UK’s official development assistance (ODA) would be cut by a further 40 per cent from 2027. This means ODA will fall to just 0.3 per cent of gross national income, following years of already reduced spending on foreign aid.
International development charities have warned that the decision will severely impact health, education and humanitarian programmes in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Responding to the cuts, Sir Chris said millions of lives may already have been lost because of these policies. He added that his foundation is attempting to fill the enormous funding gaps, but stressed that philanthropic efforts can only make up for a small fraction of the need.
Sir Chris’s intervention adds to mounting pressure on the government to reconsider its position, as the UK risks losing its reputation as a global leader in international development.
