Britain under Boris Johnson will lack the status to lead in important global multilateral development efforts, argues former British Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. SINCE the United Kingdom’s Department of International Development (DFID) was created 22 years ago, it has lifted millions out of poverty, sent millions of children to school, and saved millions of lives through vaccination programs and other innovative initiatives. Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill used to describe the United States, Europe, and the Commonwealth as the three concentric circles of British influence. The Labour Government of 1997-2010 tried to reassert British influence in this domain. It should go without saying that in the absence of a strong DFID, Britain will lack the status to lead in important global multilateral development efforts.

Source: Irish Examiner July 15, 2019 12:56 UTC