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Paul Walter

Paul’s Conference diary #2: Gleeing oneself hoarse, our Yorkshire Devonian friend, a lizard and the appalling threat of renumbering the constitution

By Paul Walter | Tue 23rd September 2025 - 6:19 pm

Late Sunday

To ease the full on assault on my bank balance, I had a burger and chips at a fish and chip shop on the way back to my room. Straight out of the fryer, piping hot, the first few mouthfuls were the most delicious things I have eaten for a long while.

Monday

Rather than have another fast food breakfast I invested in some eggs, tomatoes and cheese to make one of my microwave omelette-type thingees. I still have the ingredients for another one on Tuesday.

To the Reimagining International Development fringe with a panel including Monica Harding MP and representatives from the Tony Blair Institute. We helped to ensure a 0.7% of GDP spend on ID. That was reduced to 0.5% and now, in a panicky shortsighted move by Keith Starmer, to 0.3% from 2027. And about two thirds of that is spent in the UK on refugees in a bizarre double count with the Home Office budget. That leaves an aid budget of just 0.1% of GDP. Still, there were some refreshing ideas in the room about how to spend the money wisely and how to unlock finance mechanisms and private funds.

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