Almost 100 leaders of UK charities and NGOs have jointly called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to protect the UK's remaining aid budget and reverse cuts to international climate finance.

In a joint statement signed by 98 organisations, including Oxfam GB, WaterAid, ActionAid UK, Bond, Debt Justice and Climate Action Network UK, charity leaders urged the government to address the underlying causes of inequality and poverty affecting people in both the UK and lower-income countries.

The intervention follows the Prime Minister's decision to reallocate £400m of international climate finance commitments to help fund a cap on bus fares in the UK.

The signatories argue that diverting funding away from grant-based international climate finance risks leaving countries already facing unsustainable debt with little option but to borrow more to respond to climate change. They also warn against creating what they describe as a false choice between supporting families in the UK and tackling climate change and extreme poverty overseas.

The group is calling on the government to protect the remaining UK aid budget, reverse international climate finance cuts and publish a roadmap for returning UK aid spending to 0.7% of gross national income.

It also urges ministers to use the UK's upcoming G20 presidency to reform the global financial system and introduce measures to fairly tax the wealthiest individuals and the largest polluters.

"This Labour government have already continued the pattern set by previous governments: to retreat from our international climate commitments, slash the UK aid budget, and damage our reputation as a reliable international partner," Bond CEO, Romilly Greenhill said.

"But the new Prime Minister, and his Cabinet, have a chance to change this by working together to ensure high-quality international climate finance is protected, and rule out any further cuts to the UK aid budget. The decisions they make now will impact lives, and the climate, for decades to come.

"Together, we call on Prime Minister Burnham to carry the spirit of Manchesterism to the world: by tackling global challenges that hold back progress, and help build a more sustainable and just future for us all."

WaterAid head of UK advocacy, Tim Ingram added: "Any step to ease the cost of living and reduce poverty – in the UK or around the world – is welcome, but replacing grants with loans, after already cutting the UK's international climate finance commitment, and asking countries least responsible for the climate crisis to take on more debt to deal with its consequences, risks exacerbating existing inequalities."

He added: "If this is the tone being set in Burnham's first week in office, it raises troubling questions about the UK's commitment to international climate action over the next four years."

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