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(guó)援助預(yù)算以增加國(guó)防開(kāi)支
——首相證實(shí)，到2027年，軍費(fèi)開(kāi)支將增加到GDP的2.5%，比計(jì)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(jié)束以來(lái)最大的國(guó)防開(kāi)支持續(xù)增長(zhǎng)”。）
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(duì)唐納德·特朗普對(duì)歐洲安全的承諾感到擔(dān)憂(yōu)之際，凱爾·斯塔默宣布大幅削減英國(guó)的國(guó)際援助預(yù)算，以幫助支付大幅增加的國(guó)防開(kāi)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(guó)政府將把國(guó)防開(kāi)支增加到GDP的2.5%——比原計(jì)劃提前了三年——他正在為本周可能充滿(mǎn)外交問(wèn)題的華盛頓之行做準(zhǔn)備。
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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(huì)期間將國(guó)防開(kāi)支增加到3%的雄心，他說(shuō)弗拉基米爾·普京等“暴君”只會(huì)對(duì)實(shí)力做出反應(yīng)，而英國(guó)必須對(duì)特朗普上臺(tái)以來(lái)烏克蘭局勢(shì)的變化做出反應(yīng)。

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(shí)，從2027年起，每年增加約134億英鎊的增長(zhǎng)將通過(guò)一個(gè)“痛苦的選擇”來(lái)支付，即削減援助預(yù)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(mén)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(duì)議員們說(shuō)：“這不是個(gè)我樂(lè)意宣布的消息。我們將盡我們所能，回到一個(gè)不是這樣的世界，重建發(fā)展能力，但在這種時(shí)候，英國(guó)人民的防務(wù)和安全必須永遠(yuǎn)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(wù)?！?/b>
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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(jìn)下議院之前，《衛(wèi)報(bào)》首先報(bào)道了他的計(jì)劃。他立即宣布展開(kāi)泄密調(diào)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(bào)服務(wù)在內(nèi)的國(guó)防支出總預(yù)算將占經(jīng)濟(jì)的2.6%，與美國(guó)3.4%的國(guó)防支出相比仍有一定差距，使其成為去年僅次于波蘭和愛(ài)沙尼亞的北約第三大貢獻(xiàn)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(duì)議員們說(shuō)：“我們必須改變我們的國(guó)家安全態(tài)勢(shì)，因?yàn)橐淮说奶魬?zhàn)需要一代人的回應(yīng)。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(shuō)，首相在宣布這一舉動(dòng)之前與內(nèi)閣進(jìn)行了討論，并在行動(dòng)之前達(dá)成了“協(xié)議”——盡管唐寧街不愿透露談話(huà)的基調(diào)。

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(duì)白宮的訪問(wèn)是他第二次與特朗普會(huì)面，這次訪問(wèn)將在俄羅斯全面入侵烏克蘭三周年之后的幾天進(jìn)行，正值一次（美國(guó)支持俄羅斯的）聯(lián)合國(guó)投票后的緊張局勢(shì)和大西洋兩岸關(guān)系動(dòng)蕩時(shí)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(duì)他的外交和談判技巧的最大考驗(yàn)，因?yàn)樗噲D在英國(guó)的安全和經(jīng)濟(jì)利益，與和這位反復(fù)推動(dòng)歐洲增加國(guó)防開(kāi)支的不可預(yù)測(cè)的總統(tǒng)保持良好關(guān)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(guó)防開(kāi)支，甚至超過(guò)工黨在宣言中承諾的將國(guó)防開(kāi)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(dá)成持久協(xié)議，英國(guó)將“充分發(fā)揮其作用”，向?yàn)蹩颂m部署維和部隊(duì)。

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(guó)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(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不足以重建和改造武裝部隊(duì)。

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(qiáng)調(diào)，在特朗普政府表示將縮減美國(guó)對(duì)烏克蘭的支持后，為了幫助提高軍事能力，最終將軍費(fèi)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(zhǎng)是否意味著國(guó)防開(kāi)支每年增加134億英鎊，這是有疑問(wèn)的，因?yàn)榻?jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家說(shuō)，由削減援助資金提供的0.2%的增長(zhǎng)，只會(huì)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(cái)政研究所的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家本·扎蘭科表示，只有在國(guó)防預(yù)算從現(xiàn)在到那時(shí)被凍結(jié)的情況下，才會(huì)達(dá)到更高的數(shù)字，這是一個(gè)較低的基線(xiàn)。

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(shuō)，這種方法“非常容易讓人想起”上屆政府將國(guó)防開(kāi)支增加到2.5%的計(jì)劃，當(dāng)時(shí)這一計(jì)劃遭到了質(zhì)疑。
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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(cái)政狀況允許的情況下”，將援助預(yù)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(kāi)始考慮削減它，作為幫助支付國(guó)防費(fèi)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(shí)候告訴《衛(wèi)報(bào)》，特朗普大幅削減美國(guó)國(guó)際援助預(yù)算的計(jì)劃可能是一個(gè)“重大戰(zhàn)略錯(cuò)誤”，這將使中國(guó)得以介入并擴(kuò)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(jī)和通過(guò)多邊組織，盡管官員們表示，其他項(xiàng)目也將被允許繼續(xù)進(jìn)行。
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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(guó)的全球聲譽(yù)。然而，國(guó)內(nèi)民意調(diào)查顯示，削減援助預(yù)算可能會(huì)受到傾向于支持英國(guó)改革黨的選民的歡迎，而工黨需要留住這些選民。
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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(guó)際發(fā)展委員會(huì)主席薩拉·錢(qián)皮恩表示：“援助和國(guó)防是聯(lián)系在一起的，但它們是相互依存的，以保證每個(gè)人的安全。削減其中一個(gè)為另一個(gè)提供資金，將給我們所有人帶來(lái)可怕的后果，因?yàn)檫@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(jié)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(zhēng)，并用于彌補(bǔ)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)的后果；削減這種支持只會(huì)適得其反，我敦促政府重新考慮?！?/b>

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(guó)陸軍司令理查德·丹納特此前曾敦促政府增加國(guó)防開(kāi)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(duì)話(huà)。

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(guó)廣播公司新聞：“在更廣闊的世界里，我們可能會(huì)掠奪國(guó)際發(fā)展預(yù)算，這令人失望，因?yàn)橛?guó)在世界上的影響力往往來(lái)自我們的硬實(shí)力和軟實(shí)力、外交和發(fā)展基金的結(jié)合。但必須確定優(yōu)先事項(xiàng)，目前最緊迫的優(yōu)先事項(xiàng)是增加國(guó)防開(kāi)支?！?/b>

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(guó)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(cái)政部的一個(gè)短視和駭人聽(tīng)聞的舉動(dòng)。削減本就已經(jīng)減少的英國(guó)援助預(yù)算，以資助國(guó)防開(kāi)支的增加，是一個(gè)魯莽的決定，將給全球數(shù)百萬(wàn)邊緣化人群帶來(lái)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(guó)后塵不僅會(huì)損害英國(guó)的全球承諾和信譽(yù)，也會(huì)削弱我們自己的國(guó)家安全利益。英國(guó)非但沒(méi)有采取行動(dòng)，反而背棄了面臨貧困、沖突和不安全的社區(qū)，進(jìn)一步損害了其在全球舞臺(tái)上的信譽(yù)。”

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

前國(guó)際發(fā)展大臣、保守黨議員安德魯·米切爾批評(píng)斯塔默的計(jì)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(shuō)：“拿世界上最貧窮的人來(lái)平衡收支不僅是錯(cuò)誤的，還會(huì)讓英國(guó)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(fēng)險(xiǎn)。

“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(guó)防開(kāi)支有無(wú)可辯駁的理由，但證據(jù)表明，從長(zhǎng)遠(yuǎn)來(lái)看，以犧牲國(guó)際援助為代價(jià)增加國(guó)防開(kāi)支會(huì)增加英國(guó)的健康和安全風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。”