The Guardian: Losing DFID would be a calamity for the world’s poor — and for Britain
Simon Bishop, deputy CEO of Plan International U.K.

“Britain has a proud track record of supporting the world’s poorest through its aid commitments. This is not only morally the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do. … Disrupt this commitment by merging the Department for International Development (DFID) into the Foreign Office and diverting more aid to U.K. national interest, and you produce a lose-lose: the world’s poorest (wrongly) suffer, and significant British soft power immediately drains away, at precisely the time when the country is trying to redefine its role in the world. … To effectively project Global Britain in the years ahead, there is no doubt the three Ds — defense, diplomacy, and development — need to work more closely together, arguably helped by a better-funded Foreign Office, as well as a continued commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defense. The most effective way to achieve this is through separate departments, staffed by people with relevant skills, run by separate secretaries of state, who are then effectively coordinated through a strong and active National Security Council…” (1/16).