United States: Withdrawal from International Organisations

Lord Hannay of Chiswick Excerpts

Tuesday 13th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

It is important that we keep this in a bit of perspective. The amount of money that would come as a consequence of the announcement that the US made is about 3% of the UN’s overall budget. We already fund some organisations in the UN that the US does not fund, and we are not members of some of the 66 organisations in regard to which the US announced that it was changing its position. Where we believe that the global challenges can be met in British interests by our participation, we will continue. Where we do not feel like that, we will not.

[Lord Hannay of Chiswick (CB)]

My Lords, will the Minister take advantage of the visit by the Secretary-General of the United Nations at the end of this week to work with him to sustain the work of these institutions which are being damaged by the American decision? Frankly, whether or not it is America’s right to do this is not the relevant point. The relevant point is whether or not the people who are helped by these organisations will continue to be so.

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

As I have explained, we are not participants in all the organisations concerned, but we are of course strong supporters of the United Nations and of the Secretary-General and we take every opportunity to participate positively and constructively. We take our leadership role globally very seriously and we will continue to do that; we will continue to be strong supporters of the multilateral system in all its forms.