THE SNP’s Ian Blackford said the Prime Minister was “breaking his own manifesto commitment” in cutting aid spending at PMQs yesterday.
Blackford said: “The coronavirus has hit poor and vulnerable countries the hardest, threatening decades of hard-won gains whilst exacerbating existing inequalities.
“During his leadership race the Prime Minister made a commitment to stand by his 0.7% for aid spending, a position he reaffirmed in June last year at that very despatch box.
“What followed was yet another U-turn, another broken promise. Why is the PM breaking his own manifesto commitment and why are his government breaking the promises they made to the world’s poorest?”
Johnson replied: “I think most people in this country will know that the Government has given £280 billion to support the people, the economy, the livelihoods, the businesses up and down the whole of the UK and that as you will hear from the Chancellor, placed strains on our public finances.
“Meantime, we continue to do everything we possibly can to support the people of Yemen, including by the way, through a massive vaccination programme to which the people of this country have contributed £548 million, the second biggest contributor in the world.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer also pressed Boris Johnson on whether arms sales to Yemen should be suspended.
He said: “Does the Prime Minister agree with Biden that the sale of arms that could be used in the war in Yemen should be suspended?”
Johnson replied: “Ever since the tragic conflict in Yemen broke out this country has scrupulously followed the consolidated guidance of which [Starmer] will be well aware.”
Starmer said the UK is “increasingly isolated” in selling arms to Saudi Arabia.
He told the Commons: “[Boris Johnson] says the system’s very robust in relation to arms sales, it can’t be that robust, the Government lost a court case just two years ago in relation to arms sales.
“The truth is the UK is increasingly isolated in selling arms to Saudi Arabia. Despite what’s happening in Yemen, despite Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a murder the US has concluded was approved by the Saudi crown prince.
“So, I have to ask, what would it take for the Prime Minister to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia?”
Johnson responded: “We’ve condemned the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, we continue to call for a full investigation into the causes of his death and indeed, we have already sanctioned 20 people in Saudi Arabia.
“I repeat the point that I have made that the UK Government continues to follow the consolidated guidance which, by the way, was set up by the Labour Party.”
SNP MP Amy Callaghan brought up the Erasmus scheme and said: “The Prime Minister had previously guaranteed there was no threat to the Erasmus scheme as a result of Brexit.”
Asked if he can guarantee that charities “will receive matched funding under the new Turing scheme”, Johnson replied: “I do give her this assurance and I think the Turing scheme will be better and it will deliver exactly what she wants.
“Because I think if there was a criticism of the Erasmus scheme, it tended to favour higher-income households.
“We will do everything that we can with the Turing scheme to reach out to give opportunity to people from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
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