Cutting aid will damage UK leadership of G7 and Cop26 summit, PM told

Ex-ministers and serving Tory MPs among those criticising decision to cut UK foreign aid by a third

Boris Johnson has been told by a number of Tory former ministers and serving MPs that he risks jeopardising Britain's leadership at the G7 and the Cop26 climate summit this year if he goes ahead with plans to cut UK aid by a third over two years.

Sir David Lidington, who was Theresa May's de facto deputy prime minister, will tell an Institute for Government conference on the G7 on Tuesday: Sadly, the proposal to drop the UK's commitment to 0.7% [of gross national income] will make it harder to achieve the prime minister's ambitious objectives for both the G7 and the climate summit."