Green Party: Rolling back foreign aid commitment would be a 'dereliction of duty'

20 April 2017

The Green Party has responded to Bill Gates urging the Government to continuing spending 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid.

The Microsoft founder urged the UK to keep spending at least 0.7% of national income on foreign aid, saying it was proof of its goodwill and humanity.

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, said:

“Bill Gates is right: cutting the aid budget will cost lives. Any moves by the Tories to rollback our commitment to international development would be a dereliction of this country’s duty to the rest of the world. We know that aid alone isn’t enough, and that it must come alongside fairer trading rules, but it is the bedrock of a credible foreign policy where Britain can play a positive role in world affairs. The Tories little-Englander approach, inspired by UKIP, sells this country short – and the Green Party will oppose any moves to cut the aid budget. Indeed in the coming weeks we will put forward a bold plan to step up Britain’s global commitments on aid, climate change and nuclear disarmament.”

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