Labour Pledges
to Defend International Development
Shadow
Secretary of State for International Development Kate Osamor will today say a
Labour Government would defend international development, clampdown on tax
havens and end the self-regulation of DFID private contractors.
In a
passionate defence of international development, Kate Osamor will say:
“Development aid is not a dirty word… it is not a blank cheque. It is a
question of social justice and human rights.”
Speaking to an
audience at Chatham House, in London, Kate Osamor will say a Labour Government
would:
- ‘Remain
profoundly committed’ to spending 0.7% of Gross National Income on
international development
- Take
decisive action on tax havens. All territories which enjoy the protection
of the UK for their financial stability, foreign policy and/or security
policy must adhere to a minimum standard of transparency in relation to
company and trust ownership
- End
the self-regulation of DFID private contractors
- Reinstate
the Civil Society Challenge Fund, abolished by the Tories. This fund
supported trade unions, women’s associations and other civil society
organisations in the Global South to mounting their own advocacy
challenges in defence of human rights, including workers’ rights
- Pledge
to put conflict resolution, human rights and social justice at the heart
of British Foreign Policy
Kate Osamor
will tell the audience:
“Labour and the
UK have a proud record on International Development. But I’ve seen the Tory approach
to international development and it’s not Priti.
“This Tory Government has turned aid into a dirty
word. Its agenda is to politicise, privatise and securitise development aid.
“The Tories and their friends in the right wing
press are doing to development aid what they did to welfare. They highlight
isolated case studies of bad practise to whip up public anger against the poor.
These countries are not ‘benefit cheats.’ They’re our partners and friends.
“Development aid has become a punch bag for the
conservative media and Brexiteer Tory MPs. The same people who campaigned to
take us out of the EU now want us to exit out of our commitment to the
developing world.
“Labour made meeting the UK’s aid obligations a
permanent feature of British politics, and the development and improvements in
hundreds of millions of peoples’ lives has been a credit to humanity.
“But for an incoming Labour Government, under
Jeremy Corbyn we will go further and have pledged to put conflict resolution,
human rights and social justice at the heart of British Foreign Policy.
“So there is a stark choice at this imminent
general election for the direction of development and Britain’s role on the
global stage.
“Labour’s approach to international development is
the same as our approach to economic development at home. Tackle poverty,
uphold human rights and deliver social justice.
“Labour will not only defend development aid… but
our approach will advance development assistance. Because poverty is political.
Human rights are political and must be fought for.
“Development aid is not a dirty word… it is not a
blank cheque. It is a question of social justice and human rights.”
Ends
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