A senior Labour figure has reaffirmed the party’s commitment to restoring international aid spending to 0.7% of GDP, emphasizing its importance while acknowledging fiscal constraints. The development minister, who has previously worked in aid advocacy, stressed the need for "value for money" to address voter concerns about foreign assistance. Without specifying a timeline, she reiterated that the target would be pursued only when economic conditions permit. The pledge comes amid ongoing debates over how to balance humanitarian priorities with domestic spending demands.
Kirsty McNeill reaffirms Labour’s 0.7% of GDP pledge and promises value for money to allay voter concernsThe development minister, Kirsty McNeill, has declared herself “a huge believer in aid”, as she reaffirmed Labour’s manifesto pledge to return to a target of 0.7% of national income spending.McNeill, a former adviser to Gordon Brown and senior executive at Save the Children, declined to give any timetable, repeating the formula that the government would work towards the target “when fiscal circumstances allow”. Continue reading...
