A shift is underway within the Labour Party, with influential MPs urging Andy Burnham to commit to restoring the UK's overseas aid spending to 0.7% of national income in any future government he leads. A collection of essays published by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) thinktank outlines proposals for a foreign policy reboot, following discussions among Labour MPs and experts such as David Miliband and Mark Malloch-Brown.
Fleur Anderson MP, a former minister with a background in international development, is at the forefront of this movement. In her contribution to the pamphlet, she calls on Mr Burnham to pledge a return to the 0.7% target, suggesting a ten-year roadmap would provide flexibility and stability for partner governments, multilateral institutions, and non-governmental organisations to plan effectively.
The 0.7% commitment was enshrined in law by the Labour government under Gordon Brown, but it was temporarily suspended in 2020 due to economic pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic. The current Labour leadership has made further reductions to aid spending, reallocating funds towards defence – a decision that reportedly led to the resignation of development minister Anneliese Dodds.
Anderson argues that abandoning development commitments is a "false economy," as robust international development is integral to national security. She believes disengaging from efforts to tackle instability will not make wealthy countries safer, but instead leave them vulnerable in an increasingly volatile world.
Beyond the aid target, Labour figures are proposing broader foreign policy initiatives. Liam Byrne MP advocates for leveraging the UK's G20 presidency in 2027 to initiate discussions on a global wealth tax, building on momentum from previous chairs such as South Africa and Brazil. Gareth Thomas proposes using the UK's presidencies to spark conversations about a successor framework to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, which are set to expire in 2030.
These proposals collectively signal a desire among some Labour MPs to reposition the UK as a global leader in international cooperation and development. By prioritising aid spending and innovative foreign policy initiatives, they aim to promote stability, security, and prosperity for all nations.