Owen Smith vows to maintain spending on international aid

'Our international devleopment budget [is] a commitment to the world’s poorest people which we have a duty to uphold'

Mr Smith said the aid budget was 'not a lever to gain trade deals' (Ben Birchall/PA )

Owen Smith is pledging to maintain Britain’s commitment to spending on international aid for poorer countries.

The Labour leadership candidate said the 0.7 per cent of GNI commitment was important and that recent moves by the Government to shift spending towards other projects were unwelcome.

The Conservatives under David Cameron brought in the 0.7 per cent target despite polls suggesting widespread public unpopularity with some aid spending.

Theresa May however recently appointed Priti Patel to the role if International Development Secretary. Ms Patel has previously suggested aid money could be spent of a wider range of projects not always traditionally considered to be aid.

Though Ms Patel has not questioned the target itself some campaigners have worried that she might spend the money earmarked for the development budget on other things.

“Aid must mean aid. Our international development budget is not a lever to gain trade deals, or a slush fund for the Ministry of Defence to dip into,” Mr Smith said.

“It’s a commitment to the world’s poorest people which we have a duty to uphold - not undermine,” he said.

“My commitment to aid is unambiguous - but by appointing Priti Patel, who has called for the abolition of her own department, Theresa May has made clear that she is more interested in pleasing the Tory right than in doing the right thing.

“Our aid budget is at risk under the Tories - that’s why we need a strong, competent opposition with a serious plan to get Labour back into government again. That’s how we can do what all Labour members and supporters want: make a real difference for the poorest people in the world.“

Labour is already committed to the aid spending target as a matter of party policy.

On her appointment to her new post Ms Patel said: “I am delighted to have been appointed International Development Secretary by the Prime Minister and will make sure we invest UK aid firmly in our national interest, while keeping the promises we’ve made to the world’s poorest people.

“Successfully leaving the European Union will require a more outward looking Britain than ever before, deepening our international partnerships to secure our place in the world by supporting economic prosperity, stability and security overseas. That’s why my department will be working across government, with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the new Department for International Trade, the Home Office and others.

“We will continue to tackle the great challenges of our time: poverty, disease and the causes of mass migration, while helping to create millions of jobs in countries across the developing world - our trading partners of the future.”