UK election: Labour rules out aid department or early return to 0.7%

Labour will not restore a separate aid department if, as expected, it wins next month’s United Kingdom general election — or restore the billions slashed from spending by the Conservatives in the near future.

In an ultracautious manifesto, Keir Starmer’s party has signaled no significant change of direction if it wins power on July 4, despite it accusing the current government of having “degraded” international development.

Instead, the document states Labour is “committed to restoring development spending at the level of 0.7% per cent of gross national income as soon as fiscal circumstances allow” — mirroring Conservative policy, after the 2021 cut to 0.5%.

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