Is there a thread about Starmer's announcement...

[Westfacing]

... to increase defence spending and reduce overseas aid?

But helping overseas helps with security and presence in the globe. Starving and war-torn places create refugees and, sometimes, terrorists.

Can you point me to a source of the numbers. There seems to be a lot of waffle and talk of percentages but not actual £££.

I know this and still have different priorties.

Honestly I'd hope this stuff will still go on if deemed worthwhile enough- coming out of other budgets or being so worth while it gets the remaining foreign aid budget.

As PP says I don't think soft power going to be enough going forward - allies are nice but of they're unreliable like USA they are not as useful as they once were.

I also think charity sector and NGO do have waste in them and I think tighter budgets and more focus on outcomes could actually be a benefit to the sector.

There was lot of talk of extra money for defence going into UK bussiness and infrastructure - that's hard to argue it's a bad thing as there many UK jobs in support industries as well as more direct ones.

That's true, but defence budget has to be increased full stop.

What's the alternative for funding this? reduce internal spending? where exactly? increase taxes? where exactly?

Yes it's unpleasant, but is there any other option? if not, let's stop moaning about it.

Quit the Chagos deal..

That'll help for a start

We are sending money to Jordan because they are hosting loads of refugees. We'd rather help them look after refugees there than have them come here.
That's the thing about aid money, we're not acting like Santa, we're investing it (at least partly) in our own interests.

The figure in £ will vary annually as tax revenues etc vary year to year. It is correct to report it as a percentage, as that's how the spend has been set. It isn't an attempt to avoid saying how much.
All of the news sources have reported it very clearly, as has the government's own website.

I'd like an independent body perhaps a business man who wants to give back to look into where our money is actually going, forensic accountants?
Ie following the money to the penny and where it's going exactly.
A man on the radio last night, Andew Mar was saying he knows in his country in Africa that the money is not going where it's supposed to go.

Money to Afghanistan, where is it going? I don't want one single penny going into the pocket of the taliban?

It's annoying that we are having to change our spending because of putin however and trump.

I think it's shocking that in this century we need to think about defence

However, war
Mongers seem to be given licence to do as they please. So for that reason I'm happy that there is an increase in defence spending

Countries that hate the UK shouldn't be getting anything

"The country’s finances are dire because of the heavy burden of welfare, social care and healthcare"

Plus the public voted for Brexit and hamstrung the economy ....

Glad to read another point of view

Nothing prevents you from donating to charities supporting those countries, there is plenty of choice for those who're keen for this aid to continue.

Even Labour understood that there's no money tree. Would you prefer to leave our defence budget as is? or increase taxes? or cut services?