Andy Burnham, the current leader of the Labour Party, is trying to set his leadership apart from that of his predecessor, Keir Starmer, by focusing on global social justice, a key theme during the leadership of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in the early 2000s. To support this vision, Burnham has appointed Ed Miliband as foreign secretary and Kirsty McNeill as development minister—both figures with strong ties to international development and aid. This approach contrasts with the more domestically focused policies of Starmer, who previously reduced the UK’s aid budget significantly. The UK’s aid budget, which had been at 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, was cut to 0.5 per cent under Starmer and further reduced to 0.3 per cent. This is a notable drop from Labour’s original promise to maintain a higher level of aid spending. Burnham has reportedly used further reductions in the aid budget to fund his proposal for a £2 cap on bus fares, which has been a key part of his plan to make public transport more affordable. A significant portion of the UK’s aid budget has historically been spent on domestic costs related to asylum seekers, such as housing in hotels. These expenses, which have risen since the pandemic, have been charged to the aid budget, with nearly 29 per cent of the budget allocated to this in 2022. However, recent government efforts to streamline the asylum process have led to savings—over £1 billion since the election, with the number of asylum seekers in hotels nearly halved in a year. These savings could be redirected to a “crisis reserve” to support global humanitarian efforts. Critics argue that the costs associated with asylum seeker accommodation should not be considered true foreign aid, as they are domestic expenses. An analysis by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) found that up to £600 million could have been used to help the world’s poorest instead of covering these costs. Burnham sees an opportunity to address concerns about the misuse of aid funds and to reverse recent cuts. With the UK set to hold the G20 presidency in 2027, he may use this platform to reassert the UK’s role in global development and humanitarian efforts.