On Thursday 18th June, the Labour Party announced that they will not scrap the Department for International Development. The announcement emerges after Boris Johnson announced on Tuesday that the government would be abolishing the Department for International Development, and merging it with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office instead.
Reports indicate that Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, will lead the new department with no plans for a second Secretary of State or a Deputy Foreign Secretary. It is also understood that Anne-Marie Trevelyan will remain International Development Secretary until early September, when the new department will be formally established. Work is starting immediately on the merger.
In an interview with LabourList, Shadow International Development Secretary Preet Kaur Gill said,
“Labour is not prepared to mirror what the government is doing. It’s really important that we maintain the independence of DfID, that we absolutely recognise its global reach and reputation and expertise that it has and I’m really pleased that Keir is very much committed to that.
“It’s unnecessary for the government to take this course of action. That’s going to be our position, and I think it’s really important that we retain that. I think most people will feel confident that we will have an independent DfID.”
The Shadow International Development Secretary noted that “many” Tory MPs were unhappy with the merger. “Not only do they feel it’s unnecessary, but they understand that this is a Prime Minister who is just in retreat.”
