On 12 July 2021 the government won a parliamentary vote confirming their plan to reduce UK aid to 0.5% of GNI, until a set of fiscal conditions allow a return to 0.7% in the future. These conditions have only been met once in the last 25 years - or not at all since the 1970s, depending on how 'sustainable current budget surplus' is interpreted. With the bar set so high, the cut is therefore not temporary, as suggested by Rishi Sunak, but effectively permanent while the current government remain in power. It may have also put the seal on the withdrawal of Advantage Africa's grant as described at https://www.advantageafrica.org/ukaidgrant.

We are most grateful to everyone who campaigned against the cut and the restoration of the 0.7% target by writing to their MP. Thank you.