MP slams Conservative aid cuts to the world’s poorest

This afternoon in the House of Commons, South Lakes MP Tim Farron voted against a Government motion which would cut billions of pounds of life-saving aid to the world's poorest people.

The Government have been widely criticised for the cuts, having promised to maintain international aid spending at 0.7% of national spending in their manifesto during the last general election.

The motion was passed by a margin of just 35 votes, following a sizeable Conservative rebellion.

Speaking after the vote, Tim said: "This is a dark day for our country.

"Britain is respected around the world for the help that we give to the world's poorest.

"For the Conservative Government to break our promise to those people, during a pandemic and a climate emergency no less, is as unpatriotic as it is appalling.

"It quite frankly shames our country that our Conservative Government is proudly prepared to waste £37bn on a shambolic Test and Trace system and then in the next breath cut money that provides food and clean drinking water to starving children."