Why Labour?
The Labour Government is recognised as a world leader in tackling global poverty. Labour believes that it is wrong that somebody's chances in life depend on where they are born. That is why, in government, we have made it a priority, at home and abroad, to work for the eradication of poverty. Our values, and the nature of the common global challenges we face, mean that it is even more important we keep our commitments to the poorest.
Since 1997, when Labour set up a dedicated Department for International Development, the UK development budget has tripled. Our support is targeted at the poorest – and works to promote good governance, encourage growth and economic development, and to enable countries to deliver basic public services, such as health, education and water. We also respond to disasters, and work to tackle conflicts which ravage lives and stand in the way of development. Labour is also taking steps to tackle climate change and its impacts including help for the most vulnerable communities. International institutions equipped to deal with new global challenges are essential, which is why we are leading the way in arguing for vital reforms to institutions like the World Bank and the United Nations.
Key achievements
- We have tripled Britain’s aid budget and are committed to reaching the UN agreed target of 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income to be spent on development assistance from 2013. Our investment and international leadership have contributed to significant results on the ground lifting 3 million people permanently out of poverty each year.
- At Gleneagles in 2005 we led an international campaign to cancel 100 per cent of multilateral debts for the poorest countries and secured agreement on an extra 50 billion dollars of aid for all developing countries. At the 2009 G20 London summit we led efforts to agree 50 billion dollars to support the world’s poorest countries through the economic downturn.
- Labour stopped aid being tied to commercial interests so poor countries can use the money to buy goods and services from the most cost-effective sources and have led efforts to secure support for an International Aid Transparency initiative to ensure citizens can hold their governments and donors to account and increase the effectiveness of aid.
- Labour has announced the UK’s biggest ever investment in fighting HIV and AIDS. We are currently the world’s second bilateral largest donor to the global fight against these diseases.
- Labour delivers when crisis hits – the UK is now the world’s second largest bilateral humanitarian donor with our action helping people from Sri Lanka to Haiti
A future fair for all:
- We will keep our promises to the world’s poorest by introducing legislation to ensure that we reach the UN agreed target of 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income to be spent on development assistance from 2013. We will also continue to push for bold international action to ensure we meet the eight Millennium Development Goals, an internationally agreed set of priorities that aim to combat extreme poverty across the world , by 2015
- We will continue to press for progress in world trade talks to ensure a trade agreement that benefits poor people and will quadruple support for fair and ethical trade
- By delivering an extra 30 million anit-malarial bednets from 2010 to 2013 , we will prevent 165,000 child deaths. We will also continue with our action to eradicate polio through a £100 million drive over the next five years.
- We will ensure that every pound of UK aid spent contributes towards direct and tangible impacts, saving lives, putting children into school, creating economic opportunities for the poor, and preventing conflict
- Labour will help make people safer by working with developing countries to reform their security forces, police and legal systems so that poor people, especially women, do not live in fear of persecution or violence and by allocating half of all of DFID’s new bilateral country funding to fragile and conflict affected countries.