UK diplomats told to cut up to 70% from overseas aid budget

Officials have just weeks to slash costs, prompting fears that speed of cuts could cost lives

British diplomats have been instructed to find at least 50% cuts in UK overseas bilateral aid in the next few weeks in advance of the next financial year, the Labour party has said.

Sarah Champion, the Labour chair of parliament's international development select committee, said: Our ambassadors have today been instructed by the Foreign Office to cut 50-70% from the aid budget."