Starmer announces big cut to UK aid budget to boost defence spending
-PM confirms rise in military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – three years earlier than planned

斯塔默宣布大幅削減英國援助預算以增加國防開支
——首相證實，到2027年，軍費開支將增加到GDP的2.5%，比計劃提前了三年


(Starmer announces 'biggest sustained increase in defence spending since end of cold war'.)

（斯塔默宣布“自冷戰(zhàn)結束以來最大的國防開支持續(xù)增長”。）
新聞：

Keir Starmer has announced drastic cuts to Britain’s international aid budget to help pay for a major increase in defence spending, amid fears over Donald Trump’s commitment to European security.

在人們對唐納德·特朗普對歐洲安全的承諾感到擔憂之際，凱爾·斯塔默宣布大幅削減英國的國際援助預算，以幫助支付大幅增加的國防開支。

The prime minister said the UK government would increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – three years earlier than planned – as he prepared for what is likely to be a diplomatically fraught visit to Washington DC this week.

首相表示，到2027年，英國政府將把國防開支增加到GDP的2.5%——比原計劃提前了三年——他正在為本周可能充滿外交問題的華盛頓之行做準備。
原創(chuàng)翻譯：龍騰網(wǎng) http://mintwatchbillionaireclub.com 轉載請注明出處


Starmer also announced an ambition to increase defence spending to 3% during the next parliament, saying that “tyrants” such as Vladimir Putin would respond only to strength and that the UK must respond to the changing picture on Ukraine since Trump came to power.

斯塔默還宣布了在下一屆議會期間將國防開支增加到3%的雄心，他說弗拉基米爾·普京等“暴君”只會對實力做出反應，而英國必須對特朗普上臺以來烏克蘭局勢的變化做出反應。

However, the prime minister confirmed that the rise – about ￡13.4bn more every year from 2027 – would be paid for by a “painful choice” to cut the aid budget, from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP. The move has been met with fury from some Labour MPs and the development sector.

然而，首相證實，從2027年起，每年增加約134億英鎊的增長將通過一個“痛苦的選擇”來支付，即削減援助預算，從GDP的0.5%降至0.3%。此舉遭到了一些工黨議員和發(fā)展部門的憤怒。

“That is not an announcement I am happy to make,” Starmer told MPs. “We will do everything we can to return to a world where that is not the case, and rebuild a capability on development, but at times like this the defence and security of the British people must always come first.

斯塔默對議員們說：“這不是個我樂意宣布的消息。我們將盡我們所能，回到一個不是這樣的世界，重建發(fā)展能力，但在這種時候，英國人民的防務和安全必須永遠放在第一位。”

“That is the number one priority of this government.”

“這是本屆政府的首要任務。”
原創(chuàng)翻譯：龍騰網(wǎng) http://mintwatchbillionaireclub.com 轉載請注明出處


The Guardian first reported the prime minister’s plan just before he took to his feet in the Commons on Tuesday. He immediately announced a leak inquiry.

就在首相周二邁進下議院之前，《衛(wèi)報》首先報道了他的計劃。他立即宣布展開泄密調查。

The total budget for defence spending, including the intelligence services, will amount to a 2.6% share of the economy from 2027, which remains some way short of the 3.4% the US spends on defence, making it the third-largest contributor to Nato last year after Poland and Estonia.

從2027年起，包括情報服務在內的國防支出總預算將占經(jīng)濟的2.6%，與美國3.4%的國防支出相比仍有一定差距，使其成為去年僅次于波蘭和愛沙尼亞的北約第三大貢獻者。

“We must change our national security posture, because a generational challenge requires a generational response,” Starmer told MPs. “That will demand some extremely difficult and painful choices.”

斯塔默對議員們說：“我們必須改變我們的國家安全態(tài)勢，因為一代人的挑戰(zhàn)需要一代人的回應。這將需要做出一些極其困難和痛苦的選擇?！?/b>

The prime minister discussed the move with his cabinet before announcing it, officials said, and secured “agreement” before going ahead – though Downing Street would not say what the tone of the conversation had been.

官員們說，首相在宣布這一舉動之前與內閣進行了討論，并在行動之前達成了“協(xié)議”——盡管唐寧街不愿透露談話的基調。

His visit to the White House, the second time he has met Trump, will take place days after the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, amid tensions after a UN vote and during a turbulent period in transatlantic relations.

他對白宮的訪問是他第二次與特朗普會面，這次訪問將在俄羅斯全面入侵烏克蘭三周年之后的幾天進行，正值一次（美國支持俄羅斯的）聯(lián)合國投票后的緊張局勢和大西洋兩岸關系動蕩時期。

It will be the biggest test yet of his diplomatic and negotiating skills, as he tries to balance the UK’s security and economic interests with retaining good relations with the unpredictable president, who has repeatedly pushed for Europe to increase defence spending.

這將是對他的外交和談判技巧的最大考驗，因為他試圖在英國的安全和經(jīng)濟利益，與和這位反復推動歐洲增加國防開支的不可預測的總統(tǒng)保持良好關系之間取得平衡。

Starmer has come under sustained pressure to rapidly lift defence spending even further than Labour’s manifesto pledge of a rise to 2.5%, after he said the UK would “play its full part” in deploying troops to Ukraine for a peacekeeping force in the event of a durable deal after Russia’s invasion.

斯塔默面臨著持續(xù)的壓力，要求他迅速提高國防開支，甚至超過工黨在宣言中承諾的將國防開支提高到2.5%的水平，此前他表示，如果俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭后達成持久協(xié)議，英國將“充分發(fā)揮其作用”，向烏克蘭部署維和部隊。

Defence sources have said that an increase of at least ￡13.4bn a year to 2.5%, from 2.3%, would still be far short of what is required to rebuild and transform the armed forces.

國防部消息人士表示，每年至少增加134億英鎊，從2.3%增加到2.5%，仍然遠遠不足以重建和改造武裝部隊。

They have stressed that an ultimate rise to at least 3% of GDP would be necessary in order to help boost military capability after Trump’s administration said it was scaling back US support from Ukraine.

他們強調，在特朗普政府表示將縮減美國對烏克蘭的支持后，為了幫助提高軍事能力，最終將軍費至少提高到GDP的3%是必要的。

There were questions over whether the increase would in fact mean ￡13.4bn more a year for defence a year, when economists said that a 0.2% rise, funded by aid cuts, would provide only an extra ￡6bn.

這一增長是否意味著國防開支每年增加134億英鎊，這是有疑問的，因為經(jīng)濟學家說，由削減援助資金提供的0.2%的增長，只會提供額外的60億英鎊。

Ben Zaranko, an economist at the Institute of Fiscal Studies, said the higher figure was reached only if the defence budget was frozen between now and then, giving a lower baseline.

財政研究所的經(jīng)濟學家本·扎蘭科表示，只有在國防預算從現(xiàn)在到那時被凍結的情況下，才會達到更高的數(shù)字，這是一個較低的基線。

He said the methodology was “remarkably reminiscent” of the last government’s plan to increase defence spending to 2.5%, which was met with scepticism at the time.

他說，這種方法“非常容易讓人想起”上屆政府將國防開支增加到2.5%的計劃，當時這一計劃遭到了質疑。
原創(chuàng)翻譯：龍騰網(wǎng) http://mintwatchbillionaireclub.com 轉載請注明出處


Labour had promised to raise the aid budget from 0.5% to 0.7% when “fiscal conditions allow”, and aides said that commitment remained in place. But, in recent weeks, officials have begun to look at cutting it instead as a way to help pay for defence.

工黨曾承諾，在“財政狀況允許的情況下”，將援助預算從0.5%提高到0.7%，助手們表示，這一承諾仍然存在。但是，最近幾周，官員們已經(jīng)開始考慮削減它，作為幫助支付國防費用的一種方式。

David Lammy, the foreign secretary, told the Guardian earlier this month that Trump’s plans to make dramatic cuts to the US’s international aid budget could be a “big strategic mistake” that would allow China to step in and extend its global influence.

外交大臣大衛(wèi)·拉米本月早些時候告訴《衛(wèi)報》，特朗普大幅削減美國國際援助預算的計劃可能是一個“重大戰(zhàn)略錯誤”，這將使中國得以介入并擴大其全球影響力。

The government will prioritise remaining aid funds on Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza, as well as on the climate crisis and through multilateral organisations, though officials said other programmes would also be allowed to continue.

政府將把剩余的援助資金優(yōu)先用于烏克蘭、蘇丹和加沙，以及氣候危機和通過多邊組織，盡管官員們表示，其他項目也將被允許繼續(xù)進行。
原創(chuàng)翻譯：龍騰網(wǎng) http://mintwatchbillionaireclub.com 轉載請注明出處


Simon McDonald, a former head of the Foreign Office, has said such a move would damage Britain’s global reputation. However, domestic polling suggests cutting the aid budget could be popular with the type of voters inclined to back Reform UK who Labour needs to retain.

前外交大臣西蒙·麥克唐納表示，此舉將損害英國的全球聲譽。然而，國內民意調查顯示，削減援助預算可能會受到傾向于支持英國改革黨的選民的歡迎，而工黨需要留住這些選民。
原創(chuàng)翻譯：龍騰網(wǎng) http://mintwatchbillionaireclub.com 轉載請注明出處


Sarah Champion, the Labour chair of the international development committee, said: “Aid and defence are lixed, but they build upon each other to keep everyone safe. Cutting one to fund the other will have dire consequences for us all as it will make the world less stable.

工黨國際發(fā)展委員會主席薩拉·錢皮恩表示：“援助和國防是聯(lián)系在一起的，但它們是相互依存的，以保證每個人的安全。削減其中一個為另一個提供資金，將給我們所有人帶來可怕的后果，因為這將使世界變得更不穩(wěn)定。

“Conflict is an outcome of desperation, much better to support people around the world to feel safe, secure and prosperous than deal with the consequences. The deep irony is that development money can prevent wars and is used to patch up the consequences of them; cutting this support is counterproductive and I urge the government to rethink.”

“沖突是絕望的結果，支持世界各地的人們感到安全、有保障和繁榮比處理后果要好得多。具有深刻諷刺意味的是，發(fā)展資金可以防止戰(zhàn)爭，并用于彌補戰(zhàn)爭的后果；削減這種支持只會適得其反，我敦促政府重新考慮。”

Richard Dannatt, the former head of the British Army who previously urged the government to increase defence spending, said the boost was “a significant step in the right direction” that could ease Starmer’s conversations with Trump.

前英國陸軍司令理查德·丹納特此前曾敦促政府增加國防開支，他表示，這是“朝著正確方向邁出的重要一步”，可以緩解斯塔默與特朗普的對話。

However, Lord Dannatt told GB News: “In the wider world, it’s disappointing that we’re probably going to plunder the international development budget, because the UK’s influence in the world often comes through a combination of our hard power and our soft power, our diplomacy and our development funds. But priorities have to be established, and a priority that’s urgent now is spending more on defence.”

然而，丹納特勛爵告訴英國廣播公司新聞：“在更廣闊的世界里，我們可能會掠奪國際發(fā)展預算，這令人失望，因為英國在世界上的影響力往往來自我們的硬實力和軟實力、外交和發(fā)展基金的結合。但必須確定優(yōu)先事項，目前最緊迫的優(yōu)先事項是增加國防開支。”

Romilly Greenhill, the chief executive of Bond, which represents British aid organisations, said: “This is a shortsighted and appalling move by both the PM and Treasury. Slashing the already diminished UK aid budget to fund an uplift in defence is a reckless decision that will have devastating consequences for millions of marginalised people worldwide.

代表英國援助組織的Bond首席執(zhí)行官羅米利·格林希爾表示：“這是首相和財政部的一個短視和駭人聽聞的舉動。削減本就已經(jīng)減少的英國援助預算，以資助國防開支的增加，是一個魯莽的決定，將給全球數(shù)百萬邊緣化人群帶來毀滅性的后果。

“Following in the US’s footsteps will not only undermine the UK’s global commitments and credibility, but also weaken our own national security interests. Instead of stepping up, the UK is turning its back on communities facing poverty, conflict and insecurity, further damaging its credibility on the global stage.”

“步美國后塵不僅會損害英國的全球承諾和信譽，也會削弱我們自己的國家安全利益。英國非但沒有采取行動，反而背棄了面臨貧困、沖突和不安全的社區(qū)，進一步損害了其在全球舞臺上的信譽?！?/b>

The Tory MP Andrew Mitchell, a former international development secretary, criticised Starmer’s plan as “short-sighted and damaging”.

前國際發(fā)展大臣、保守黨議員安德魯·米切爾批評斯塔默的計劃“目光短淺，具有破壞性”。

He said: “Balancing the books on the backs of the poorest people in the world isn’t just wrong, it also makes the UK weaker and less secure. In taking this decision, the government risks cutting off its nose to spite its face.

他說：“拿世界上最貧窮的人來平衡收支不僅是錯誤的，還會讓英國變得更弱、更不安全。政府作出這一決定，是在冒著自討苦吃的風險。

“While there is an unanswerable case for increasing defence spending, the evidence shows that doing this at the expense of international aid increases health and security risks to the UK in the long run.”

“雖然增加國防開支有無可辯駁的理由，但證據(jù)表明，從長遠來看，以犧牲國際援助為代價增加國防開支會增加英國的健康和安全風險?！?br />