Preet Gill – 2020 Comments on Cost of Whitehall Reorganisation

The comments made by Preet Gill, the Shadow International Development Secretary, on 11 August 2020.

The Government should be completely focused on getting on with its job of governing the country and steering us through the huge challenges we face.

Getting rid of an independent Department for International Development during a global pandemic is irresponsible, counter-productive and wrong. It is consistently rated as the most effective and transparent department at delivering real value for money for British taxpayers, whereas the Foreign Office routinely ranks far worse.

At a time when we need the global health expertise to drive the global response to Covid-19 and avoid further deadly waves, abolishing the department will undoubtedly put the lives of people here in the UK and those abroad at serious risk.