CEO of the Coalition Theo Clarke spoke this week on the lifesaving impact smart British aid is making abroad. Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference debate titled ‘How do we get value from the aid budget?’ hosted by the Taxpayer’s Alliance, Theo spoke alongside fellow panelists Rt Hon Priti Patel MP (former Secretary of State for International Development), Pauline Latham MP (International Development Committee), Ian Birrell (The Mail on Sunday), James Price (TaxPayers’ Alliance) and chair Andy Silvester (The Sun).

Beyond being merely the right and moral thing to do as a global superpower, Theo argued that British investment in aid truly is in the national interest. Whether keeping Ebola or heroin smuggled through Tanzania from our shores, or creating our trading partners of tomorrow through investing in job creation, aid is making UK citizens safer and more prosperous.

Theo also pointed out the value to be gained from joining up government efforts, and breaking down Whitehall silos. Utilising North-East Nigeria as an example, Theo cited the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development preventing the rise of Boko Haram and terrorist ideology.

Other topics discussed included the validity of 0.7, whether ODA is best spent through DFID or other Whitehall Departments and public attitudes on aid.