Category: Uncategorized
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The Impact of Scottish Independence on International Development
“Should Scotland be an internationalist country – Yes/No” Now that would be a debate worth having. In all the discussion that has taken place on the forthcoming Independence Referendum, a great deal has been said about Scotland’s potential status in the world (European Union; NATO; UN), but very little has been said about Scotland’s contribution…
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Aid targets are aspirational – so let’s apply them to every country
This blog originally appeared in the Guardian’s Poverty Matters Blog, posted by Claire Leigh and Jonathan Glennie Britain may have just committed itself to reaching the 0.7% gross national income (GNI) aid target – the first G8 country to do so – but Justine Greening, the international development secretary, is keen to soften the blow to…
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Reaching the 0.7% target is Labour’s legacy – but Osbornomics mean the aid budget is nearly £5.5 billion less than it should have been
LCID responds to Budget 2013 Labour’s legacy is realised today as Britain becomes the first G8 nation to meet the historic commitment to the 0.7% aid target. The path to today started on 1st May 1997. It was a Labour government that set up DFID as an independent department, that secured the deal on debt…
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Why Osborne must keep his promise on the Aid budget
Originally published on Labour List In the budget on Wednesday the Chancellor has the opportunity to maintain unequivocally the Coalition’s pledge to protect the Aid budget and to resist backbench Tory and Right wing newspaper pressures to re- direct aid spending to other Departments, such as the MOD. The reality is that, in order…
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Shifting Rhetoric on Aid: Latest Example of David Cameron’s Political Malaise
Originally published on Huffington Post Politics This year barring any last minute surprises, the Tory-led government will deliver on Labour’s commitment to spend 0.7% of gross national income on overseas development assistance. This should be a source of national pride with particular credit due to the civil society and faith networks that have campaigned…
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Tony Blair writes for Guardian’s Comment is Free on aid to Africa
Tony Blair took to Comment is Free in the The Guardian on Saturday to explain the historic benefits of the Gleneagle’s Summit in 2005. Here, the G8 pledged to help Africa as a key priority and Blair explains how this has worked. Some positive points from the article are quoted below: ‘Today, the positive legacy…
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Mark Hendrick’s Private Members’ Bill thwarted once again
Another Tory MP thwarts Private Members’ Bill that has cross-party support to spend 0.7% of gross national income on official development assistance. Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Ivan Lewis MP said: “It is extraordinary that once again a backbench Tory MP has opposed legislation which was in the manifesto he stood on at…
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Mark Hendrick calls for commitment to International Aid
First posted on prestonmp.co.uk Today will be the Second Reading of Mark’s Private Members’ Bill on International Development (Official Development Assistance Target). A letter co-signed by Conservative MP Jeremy Lefroy and Liberal Democrat MP Martin Horwood urging Prime Minister David Cameron to support the Private Members’ Bill on International Development, was sent on 14 February.…
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Labour pushes Democrats for a Robin Hood Tax
First posted on Liberal Conspiracy I’m back from a 48-hour round trip to Washington DC with Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury Chris Leslie MP, and it was really interesting to see exactly the same debates about a Robin Hood Tax being had in the USA as we’ve had in the UK. EU Tax Commissioner…
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Ivan Lewis MP responds to David Cameron’s comments on international aid
Ivan Lewis MP, Labour’s Shadow International Development Secretary, responding to reports today on David Cameron’s comments on international aid, said: “David Cameron’s comments on aid and defence spending are a cynical attempt to appease his right wing backbenchers and another example of his weak leadership. One day, he claims credit for honouring Labour’s 0.7 aid…
Labour Campaign for International Development 