Campaign launched to commit UK to spending 0.7% of income on development aid

Brexit & Foreign Policy

The Global Poverty Promise campaign today asks people to support a new law that would commit the UK to spend 0.7% of national income on development assistance.

Davina McCall, Mariella Frostrup, Annie Lennox, Richard Wilson and Meera Syal were among the big names launching a new poverty campaign today, the fifth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s Make Poverty History speech in Trafalgar Square.


In a campaign video released today – shown for the first time at the Labour Campaign for International Development’s launch on Monday – people are invited to show their support for a new law that would commit the UK to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on development assistance.

People can do this by signing up to the Global Poverty Promise.

The video (see right) highlights just how small 0.7 per cent is – yet how much of a difference it will make to lives in the developing world.

Mariella Frostrup said:

  

“Forty years ago the UK made a promise to the world’s poor – to spend just 0.7 per cent of our national income on helping poor countries develop. We now have a chance to make that promise a reality, not just for today but for future generations.

“GlobalPovertyPromise.com is our opportunity to show that we keep our promises, even during difficult times. Whether it’s helping Haiti through a disaster or participating in the long term development of Africa the British public has a proud tradition of looking out for those less fortunate, let’s keep it up.”

Five years ago Nelson Mandela’s speech in London ahead of the Gleneagles summit launched the Make Poverty History campaign; today the Department for International Development is publishing an update of the progress the UK has made against the targets set.

Labour has tripled the UK’s aid budget and is committed to spending 0.7% of the UK’s Gross National Income on aid from 2013, with the Overseas Development Bill which was introduced to Parliament last month, while the Conservatives have refused to say they would introduce such a law.

Aid groups are concerned that Tory plans for international development could mean large sums will be diverted from tackling poverty.

• Sign up to the Gobal Poverty Promise and show your support.

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30 Responses to “Campaign launched to commit UK to spending 0.7% of income on development aid”

  1. Liz McShane

    I also meant to add that some of these posts are scarily similar to recent BNP statements about international aid in light of theHaiti earthquake disaster.

  2. Anon E Mouse

    Liz – I agree with you again – must be the new year!

    I bet you were as furious as I was when Gordon Brown said he wanted “British jobs for British workers” – taken straight from BNP literature…

  3. Anon E Mouse

    Liz – OK that didn’t last long! I really don’t think in view of:

    Taking the 10p tax taken from the poorest workers in the country – cruel.

    Refusing entry to people who fought and died in Labour’s overseas adventures for us – the Gurkha’s – cruel.

    Or now the latest Gordon Brown stunt – refusing the money to equip our troops properly when he was chancellor (and before anyone starts; I believe the military and all the other witnesses at Chilcot Enquiry and not Brown or his cronies in the Downing Street bunker) – cruel.

    This nasty party stuff, (apart from the fact the Tories were the first to use the term was from over 12 years ago)can only now apply to Labour since they are in power and are guilty of at least the three actions above – how many more examples do you need Liz?

    Call the Tories the nasty party by all means – what do I care but please think before you do do. The “Liar Liar Pants on Fire” jibes are really only fit for the playground.

    We are in an election year Liz, you can do better than that…

  4. Liz McShane

    Anon – I am sure I have told you before that I think tat was stupid thing to say and am sure the GB also regrets saying it…..

  5. Liz McShane

    Anon – what about the Social Chapter, minimum wage ( I have been hearing recently from Northern MPs whose constituents were in jobs paying £1 p/h (that was printed on the wage slips), tax credits, winter fuel allowance all the extra money that has gone into schools & hospitals, extension of maternity/paternity rights… I think we forget how bad it was before Labour came into power in 1997 and how worse it will become IF we let the Tories in in 2010.
    I agree the Iraq was has left a bad taste in many people’s mouths but don’t let this dominate the agenda.

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