Labour won’t commit to foreign aid boost if it won power, says David Lammy

David Lammy declined to commit Labour to spending 0.7 per cent of national income on international aid, saying it would be “irresponsible” to do so.

In a speech at Chatham House in London, the shadow foreign secretary said that he wanted the UK to be a “development superpower once more”.

However, he said the economic situation was such that it would be the wrong course of action to pledge to return to the 0.7 per cent figure now.

The statutory duty to spend this proportion of GDP was introduced by David Cameron in 2015.

But in 2021, owing to the impact of the Covid pandemic, this was temporarily reduced under Boris Johnson to 0.5 per cent, saving billions of pounds.

And in last year’s autumn statement, Jeremy Hunt said the UK will not return to 0.7 per cent “until the fiscal situation allows”. 

Mr Lammy’s comments about 0.7 per cent came after he was asked why Labour will not commit to return that level if it wins the next election.

He said: “We are determined to win power in 2024. And in a cost of living crisis where people are struggling to put food on the table, with inflation rising and costs soaring, it would be irresponsible for us to set out our spending at this stage. It is just too turbulent.”

Mr Lammy said that “ultimately, this will be a decision for [Sir] Keir Starmer which he, I am sure, will signal closer to a general election”.

In his speech, the shadow foreign secretary said: “My vision is of a ‘Britain Reconnected’ – secure at home and strong abroad. A confident country, outside of the EU, but a leader in Europe once again. A reliable partner, a dependable ally and a good neighbour. Nato’s leading European power.

“A development superpower once more. At the vanguard of climate action. Driving forward the industries of the future for Britain. A diplomatic entrepreneur. And a country that keeps its word.”

Mr Lammy promised that a Labour government would “modernise development”, saying: “Our development policy must still aim at reducing global poverty. It should be proudly feminist, prioritising women and girls. With climate action and solidarity at the aid budget’s heart.

“But it must also have a new focus on partnership, mutual respect and shared interests. Take the example of the fair distribution of vaccines around the world. While Europeans were vaccinated many times over, much of the world waited for a first dose. This cannot happen again.

“But our goal must be bigger: for intellectual property and manufacturing capacity to be shared around the world so that countries are producing their own vaccines, not waiting for our leftovers.”

Mr Lammy also said that Labour will seek to “fix the Tories’ bad Brexit deal” if voted into power at the next election.

He said Britain would “not rejoin” the European Union, the single market or customs union under a Starmer premiership.

However, he said the party would take action to reverse the “damage” the current UK-EU trade deal is doing to the British economy, while also restoring European relations.