The Latest Breaking News from David Lammy

IN FOCUS: The evidence shows international aid – when spent correctly – can bring tremendous benefits and save millions of lives, writes expert and author Stefan Dercon. But if helping people cope with deprivation won’t convince the Maga crowd, advocates of aid spending will have to try a different argument

Jeremy Corbyn has written to Sir Keir Starmer demanding an independent inquiry into the UK’s role in the conflict in the Middle East

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to slash foreign aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP has raised eyebrows within his own party.

With Trump’s true intentions clear, new thinking is needed to fund UK defence, be it fully seizing Russian assets or reversing Hunt’s NI cuts

Since the Labour government came to power in the UK last year, its international relations have been pursued under the banner of what foreign secretary David Lammy calls “progressive realism”. This involves “using realist means to pursue progressive ends”, including taking “pragmatic steps” to improve relations with other states.

When the US slashed its foreign aid budget a fortnight ago, David Lammy called it a ‘big mistake’. He was right – and it’s a mistake for the UK to do it now, says Guardian columnist Larry Elliott

NGOs accuse prime minister of following US by accepting ‘false choice’ of cutting aid to fund defence

British politicians think they exercise a moderating force on strongmen. In practice, ‘diplomacy’ and ‘pragmatism’ only ease their path, says Guardian columnist Andy Beckett

The Prime Minister appeared to have already got the president onside on one of the hot-button issues, with an indication he will back the Chagos deal.

‘I think we’ll be inclined to go along with your country,’ president says of plan to hand sovereignty to Mauritius

It comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is in Washington for talks with the US president.