Houghton and Sunderland South MP, Bridget Phillipson and Labour colleagues have voted to enshrine in law spending on international development of at least 0.7% Gross National Product, which will help secure funding to lift millions of people in the developing world out of poverty.

Around the world, the UK is recognised as a world leader on international development. That is due to the actions that Labour took in government. From establishing the Department for International Development and untying our aid so that it was no longer bound by commercial interest, to tripling the aid budget and committing to meeting the historic 0.7% aid target by 2013, Labour’s leadership literally saved lives.

It was a Labour government that put this country on the road to fulfilling the historic commitment. It was Labour’s pledge to legislate that forced the other two main parties to follow suit, and it is Labour that has continually criticised this government’s failure to do so.

Commenting after the vote, Bridget said:

“This Bill continues with the work pioneered by Labour from 1997 and enshrines in law our commitment to helping some of the world’s poorest people out of poverty.

“Many of our domestic problems can be traced back to international issues -; disease, poverty and wars halfway around the world have a direct impact to the security and stability of our nation.

“Through our support of International Development we can tackle these challenges, in partnership with the developing world, that would otherwise have been left unchecked and unchallenged.”