The Tory-dominated Economic Affairs Committee has made recommendations that would cost lives in developing countries and damage Britain’s credibility. Their recommendation to drop Britain’s aid promises would mean cuts to well-costed programmes based on reaching the 0.7% GNI target next year, such as putting 16 million children in school. Andrew Mitchell must now bring forward legislation on 0.7% in the next Queen’s Speech to prevent any further use of the aid budget as a political football. Mitchell also needs put a stop to the aid bashing so many of his colleagues in the Conservative party seem to enjoy.