Is Boris Johnson headed for defeat in the House of Commons over international development?

Probably not. He’s got away with everything so far.

You may well be right Blossoming. Do you know anymore about it? I can find the rather dry Government pronouncements but not much else.

What Blossom said :-(

Does anyone know what the "rebels" are hoping to achieve?

Hopefully they will be defeated. But I can’t expand on that as my life seems so busy atm. I have t had time to read much.

I'm not sure whether this will get anywhere or not, but it is important that at least 30 members of his own party are standing up to say that they disagree with this policy, including some quite senior ones. The current government seem to think that Parliament is an inconvenience and that they can ride roughshod over the will of Parliament, and this could be the start of the response to that.

I'm afraid you are right about the treatment of Parliament Alegrais. What I can't work out is how this ties up with the cut in Foreign Aid - or even if it does?

I think we might hear more at lunchtime, if Politics Live is back, but I find that programme annoying - no discussion just the barking of questions and ready prepared answers although they do occasionally have someone normal on .

As I understand it, and I'm happy to be corrected, they are trying to add an amendment to the new Bill that is being introduced, that would make it necessary for any shortfall on the 0.7% Aid Budget to be made up through other means.

From what I can understand, there is a proposal to cut the Foreign Aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% of GDP, something which is enshrined in law. It is claimed this is a temporary cut due to the financial implications of covid19 (GN admin, could we have a hollow laugh emoticon please?). This angers many people because (a) it is law and was part of the manifesto last election (b) all of the world has been hit by covid19, not just UK, everyone is suffering and in some countries it is unimaginably awful (c) the 0.2% is very little to the UK economy, but a huge amount to those who need it (d) one of the programmes which will suffer is polio vaccination in developing world which will be cut by 90%....I could go on and on, but I will pause to allow the 'charity begins at home brigade' to get their twopennorth in.

Oh, and I believe that there is a proposal that the covid19 vaccines which we are supplying at cost, which is very admirable of course, and to be applauded, be included in the Overseas Aid 0.7%. Nice little bit of accountancy

It isn’t being put to the vote. The reason of which I haven’t yet read.

So it seems aid will be cut!

What a shower this government is.

Do we know why WWMk2? Apart from the fact that the government may be defeated/have no respect for Parliamentary democracy?

Oh, GillT that last bit makes my heart sink. I hadn't seen that although I suppose we should not be surprised.

The "top-up" idea does make sense of what they might be trying to do Alegrias. It may even be a good way of going about it but changing a manifesto pledge in this way is still very not on and even more, makes the "Great Britain" they want to "return" to look cruel and miserly - because it is cruel and miserly.

Thanks both. We will see what we will see I suppose

I did get that it had to be passed by the Speaker and much not be "outside the scope" of the Bill they are trying to ammend.

Not good is it.

GillT57

Oh, and I believe that there is a proposal that the covid19 vaccines which we are supplying at cost, which is very admirable of course, and to be applauded, be included in the Overseas Aid 0.7%. Nice little bit of accountancy

No point sending vaccines to other countries if the cuts to overseas aid means that they may not be able to afford to have people administering the vaccine. Or that the people will die of other things eg dirty water. I didn’t think this government could sink any lower in my estimation but this really takes the biscuit.

I think it is nothing less than immoral to cut our Overseas Aid budget.
Just for a year ? As if, a day is too long to those who rely on it.
I understand it is a cross party bone of contention so hopefully it will not happen.

The speaker has decided not to include the amendment so no defeat for Boris here

Anyone noticed the poverty in this country ?

Does anyone care ?

EllanVannin

Does anyone care ?

Well this government doesn’t seem to care much. Look at the way Marcus Rashford had to champion free school meals and how the government seem to be proud of how many food banks we have.

There's one of the usual suspects on Jeremy Vine just now rabbiting on about space programs.

And somebody just said once we've sorted out the UK we can start helping the other countries.

Yes EV, lots of us care. Lots of us can care about lots of things at the same time.

And, MayBee70 his programmes highlighted the poverty in this country so besides these people already being let down, why rub salt into their wounds by arguing whether to send food abroad or not ? It's immoral.

Not just food, it's millions too. Money which would improve their way of life enormously. Something's not right somewhere, and yes----Charity does begin at home !

Its not blooming food.

Folk who have no idea what Foreign Aid is all about complaining how hard up this country is. Maybe they could have diverted some of the £37bn Track and Trace to Foreign Aid. Or cancel the Royal yacht. Or got Boris to buy cheaper wall paper