Aid backlash faced off in Lords

Last Friday I had to face off against serious opposition to Michael Moore's International Development Private Members Bill (The 0.7% Bill) during its Committee Stage in the House of Lords.

It was clear from the Second Reading debate a few weeks ago that the overwhelming majority of Peers, across all Parties, support the aims behind Michael's Bill. Its aim is simple- to enshrine in law our commitment to spending 0.7% of Gross National Income on International Aid, helping some of the world's poorest people.

Led by Nigel Lawson, a small number of Peers tabled a large number of amendments. Variously damaging, unnecessary and ill-considered the House was not impressed. I responded to each with courtesy and clarity, as Michael did to the protagonists against in the Commons. All the amendments were withdrawn but further stages in the Lords remain.

Ensuring that we make this commitment to a consistent international development budget (a commitment that the UK agreed to in 1970) means that we can move the debate on from how much we should contribute in aid, to how and where we can best use it effectively and transparently.

The aid budget in the past has been invariably volatile making it significantly more difficult to support long term projects, often including some of the most important, live saving, work we do, and that requires stable funding over many years.

Under this Lib Dem Coalition Government the UK is the first G8 Country to meet the 0.7% target. Once this Bill is passed we will be the first G8 nation to enshrine it in law. We will set an example to other wealthy countries and persuade them to join us in meeting the commitment we made all those years ago. It is our moral obligation to ensure that as few people as possible have to endure poverty, human rights abuses, educational discrimination and easily avoidable risks to their lives.

In the Lib Dems we regularly talk about the need to provide opportunity for all. We are working hard to create a future for this country in which everyone, no matter their background, has the chance to get on in life. We should not stop at this ideal as soon as our man made borders end. These liberal ideals are foundations upon which a better World can be built and we should do everything we can to get there.

As expected the few that tried to stand up against this Bill drew their protest out over many hours. It was a long debate but the cross party support we had established earlier in the Bill's progress meant that we had a united front.

I am working hard to maintain this as it progresses through the next stage, called Report, which may be at the end of February. Thanks to the hard work of Michael Moore to bring this Bill to Parliament, and the work of Lib Dems across both Houses, I hope that soon the Lib Dems will be put another Lib Dem manifesto commitment into Law.