LONDON, UK – 22 June 2026 – Commenting on the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, Adrian Lovett, UK Executive Director of the ONE Campaign, said:

“Keir Starmer’s decision to slash life-saving international assistance failed on its own terms. Those cuts cost lives, failed to resolve the defence spending crisis, and were deeply unpopular with many of his own supporters. They caused real, avoidable harm to people who could least afford it – and they harmed Britain’s interests too. His successor must take a different course.

The ONE Campaign calls on the next Prime Minister to restore Britain’s reputation in the world with a renewed, forward-looking international strategy.

In a few months, the UK will take over the presidency of the G20 group of the world’s most powerful nations. This is a critical opportunity to reset the UK’s approach to international cooperation. 

People in Britain, and people across the world, want the same thing: the hope that the future will be better than the present, for them and their children. British leadership can help make this hope possible. By investing again in life-saving aid, and in the tools that support countries to build their own prosperity and growth, the UK government can help set a path towards a better life for people in some of the toughest parts of the world. And as it does so, it will make us all safer and stronger.  

The UK’s Official Development Assistance has been reduced from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income, the lowest level in a generation, at a time when global humanitarian and development needs have been rising. Vital programmes have been scaled back. Lives have already been lost, and the consequences will continue to be felt, with an estimated 5.4 million additional child deaths projected as a result of global aid cuts.”

About The ONE Campaign:  

 ONE is a global, nonpartisan organization advocating for the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa. Since 2004, we have helped secure more than $1 trillion in new investments to build a safer, more prosperous world. Our trusted advocacy combines hard-hitting data, grassroots activism and political engagement to influence decision-makers and drive lasting change. Learn more at ONE.org. 

Contact: [email protected] / 07462256646