Conservatives trashing Britain's reputation as a development superpower

Responding to the release of the International Development Strategy, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said:  “The Conservative Government is trying to run and hide from the devastating impact of their aid cuts. The callous decision to slash aid spending is so scarcely mentioned in the Strategy it’s like they’re pretending it doesn’t exist.  “The Foreign Secretary won’t even appear before Parliament to announce this new Strategy - because she knows that she will face difficult questions on how this broken Conservative promise is harming the most vulnerable around the world.” “The Conservatives’ true strategy on international development is demonstrated by their actions, not their words. Development has been relegated from the Cabinet table, the aid budget has been slashed, and the UK’s proud reputation as a development superpower has been comprehensively trashed. The Government’s misguided new focus on ‘aid for trade’ is yet another blow for the world’s poorest. The UK Government should restore the 0.7% of GNI target for international development spending immediately.”