Dr Helen Pankhurst says the large-scale reduction in international aid will ultimately impact the government’s own agenda for peace and growth. Plus a letter from Trevor Bonner

This government is on course to go down in history as one of the worst for women and girls ( Labour to defend aid cuts, claiming UK’s days as ‘a global charity’ are over, 13 May ). We already know that the aid cuts will be deadly, but wiping out all funding to programmes that support women and girls is a new low – even if the government is saying the budget for women and girls will be “ mainstreamed ” or folded into other programmes.

Specific programmes help girls into education, help mothers deliver babies safely, and protect women from violence. While some governments are stepping back from supporting women, I never imagined the UK would follow suit. It’s not only catastrophic in the short term for women who will have life-saving support withdrawn but a shortsighted measure that will ultimately work against the government’s own peace, security and growth agenda.