Kate Osamor MP, Labour’s Shadow International Development Secretary, responding to Theresa May’s speech laying out a new vision for the UK’s aid spending in Africa, said:

“Using the UK aid budget to help secure post-Brexit trade deals is an outrageous misuse of the country’s aid programme.

“The Prime Minister’s vision of using the country’s aid money to expand African markets for the private sector will do nothing to address the underlying causes of poverty or inequality.

“If the Prime Minister is genuine about tackling poverty in Africa then she needs to think less about how privatisation can bolster the profits of the few, and pay more attention to tackling deep rooted inequalities that prevent people from living a dignified life.

“The next Labour government would transform the UK’s aid programme to ensure that the public’s money is spent on genuine efforts to both alleviate poverty and tackle inequality. Instead of privatising essential public services, we would spend aid in partnership with countries overseas to build and strengthen these services, including bringing the best from our own experience of the NHS. Providing access to free, quality public services is key to promoting equality and enabling people to transition out of poverty.”