Wera Hobhouse Only Somerset MP to Vote Against Foreign Aid Cuts

15 July 2021

Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, has accused the Conservative Government of abandoning their election commitment on international development spending by voting to maintain the UK’s cut on foreign aid spending.

Ms. Hobhouse said: “This will betray our country’s values and endanger the lives of millions of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people around the globe.”

In the 2019 General Election, Conservative MPs stood on a manifesto promise to “proudly maintain our commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) on development”.

This week, the Government won a vote in Parliament to continue their recently announced annual £4bn cut of Britain's international development spending from 0.7% to 0.5% GNI for at least 5 years.

Wera Hobhouse said:

“This Government has failed to understand that international aid is good for our security and our stability. But more than that, helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable is the right thing to do. This Government’s aid cuts, in the middle of a pandemic no less, are absolutely shameful.

“The Liberal Democrats have supported international development spending for over sixty years and put the 0.7% target into law in 2015. It is the right thing to do, both for the UK, and for those who need our help. It will do irreparable damage to Britain’s reputation across the globe. Now is the time for leadership - but instead, the Conservatives want Britain to hide from its responsibilities.

“Liberal Democrats will continue to campaign to reinstate the 0.7% target, which we enshrined in law.”