'Savage' cuts to UK aid put children's lives at risk, says Gordon Brown

Former prime minister says chancellor is paying bills for Covid off the backs of the poor'

The former prime minister Gordon Brown has launched a scathing attack on the unprecedented cuts to UK aid, saying they put at risk tens of thousands of children's lives while millions more face losing an education.

Writing in the Guardian, Brown said the planned cuts of 30% - 5bn - which come into force at the end of next month meant that the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, was paying the bills for Covid off the backs of the poor - at home and abroad".