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UK Labour MPs urge Andy Burnham to restore 0.7% aid spending target
The proposal, backed by a New Economics Foundation pamphlet, outlines a 10-year path to returning to the 0.7% of GDP overseas aid goal.
The New Economics Foundation says Labour MPs are urging Andy Burnham to reclaim the UK’s overseas development leadership by restoring a statutory 0.7% of GDP aid spending target, with a plan that would take about a decade to get back to the goal, according to the Guardian Economics.
The publication describes a collection of essays that argues for a credible long-term trajectory for aid spending. It also contends that future governments could temporarily deviate from the goal during crises, rather than abandoning it.
The 0.7% target was legislated under Gordon Brown but was dropped in 2020 by Rishi Sunak as a temporary Covid-era measure, the article says. It adds that Keir Starmer instead made further significant cuts to aid spending and redirected funds to defence, contributing to the resignation of development minister Anneliese Dodds.
Beyond aid, the same report says Liam Byrne, chair of the Commons business and trade committee, called for the UK, during its 2027 G20 chairmanship, to convene discussions on a global wealth tax. It notes the UK would assume the G20 role from the US under Donald T, according to the outlet.