| On Friday 5th December I was in Parliament to support a bill to enshrine in law the UK’s promise to donate 0.7% of our Gross National Income to international aid, in line with aspirations first put forward over 40 years ago. |
Labour is proud of its record on international development. The last Labour government tripled the aid budget and dropped the debt, helping to lift three million people out of poverty each year and getting 40 million more children into school.
The Conservative manifesto committed to putting the 0.7% measure into law and this pledge also formed part of the Coalition Agreement. However, the Government has failed to bring forward a law. In November 2014 the Foreign Secretary (Phillip Hammond) said he did not see the need to write the commitment into legislation. Liberal Democrat MP Michael Moore has therefore taken the opportunity to introduce it as a Private Member’s Bill.
Critics tabled a host of lengthy amendments on Friday which were intended to ensure that the Commons ran out of time to debate and vote on the bill. However, MPs voted 146 (including 75 Labour – more than the Tories and Lib Dems put together) to 6 to allow the bill to proceed and the legislation later passed. The bill is now in the House of Lords.
The Conservative manifesto committed to putting the 0.7% measure into law and this pledge also formed part of the Coalition Agreement. However, the Government has failed to bring forward a law. In November 2014 the Foreign Secretary (Phillip Hammond) said he did not see the need to write the commitment into legislation. Liberal Democrat MP Michael Moore has therefore taken the opportunity to introduce it as a Private Member’s Bill.
Critics tabled a host of lengthy amendments on Friday which were intended to ensure that the Commons ran out of time to debate and vote on the bill. However, MPs voted 146 (including 75 Labour – more than the Tories and Lib Dems put together) to 6 to allow the bill to proceed and the legislation later passed. The bill is now in the House of Lords.
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