Valerie votes against cuts to international aid

On Tuesday 13 July 2021, the House of Commons voted on whether to reduce spending on international aid from 0.7% to 0.5% of national income. I voted against cuts to international aid, however the motion to reduce spending on international aid passed by Ayes: 333 – Noes: 299.

The aid budget is spent on tackling the world’s worst humanitarian crises. For example, Britain’s funding for programmes to stop famines could be cut from £122m to just £26m, according to Save the Children.

Some of the biggest cuts will be to organisations fighting diseases such as Aids, polio and malaria. UN secretary-general António Guterres has described the aid cuts as a “death sentence”. These cuts are not in our national interest and will weaken the Government’s ability to keep our country safe and secure and fight the Covid-19 pandemic and climate crisis.