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UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson gives statement to MPs on FCO/DfID merger after school vouchers U-turn UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson gives statement to MPs on FCO/DfID merger after school vouchers U-turn
(31 minutes later)
Boris Johnson makes U-turn on free school meals after Marcus Rashford campaign; Scotland and Wales also announce free schools meals will continueBoris Johnson makes U-turn on free school meals after Marcus Rashford campaign; Scotland and Wales also announce free schools meals will continue
Earlier Sir Keir Starmer said Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative international development secretary when David Cameron was PM, had described the DfID/FCO merger as a mistake. The Birmingham Mail has the full quote from Mitchell. Mitchell said:
These are from Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, on the DfID/FCO merger.
The Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse says the PM seems to be saying the UK will only help the poorest in the world if they are buying British goods.
Johnson says Hobhouse should be proud of what the UK is doing around the world.
Labour’s Kevin Brennan asks if Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the international development secretary, will both have to apply for the post to run the new department.
Johnson sidesteps the questions.
The SNP’s Kirsty Blackman asks if the purpose of the new department will be to help the poorest in the world, or if it will be to enhance British power abroad?
Both, says Johnson.
He says there is no point in having a British ambassador asking a foreign leader not to chop the head off one of his rivals if another British official is going to turn up a day later with a cheque for £250,000.
Johnson says British ambassadors will be listened to more seriously if they represent a department in charge of all UK government overseas spending.
Johnson says British producers should get a fair crack of the whip when it comes to benefiting from UK government spending.
Tobias Ellwood, the Tory MP who chairs of the Commons defence committee and a former FCO minister, says he can see the case for this move. But he says it should have been implemented as part of the ongoing review covering defence and foreign policy.Tobias Ellwood, the Tory MP who chairs of the Commons defence committee and a former FCO minister, says he can see the case for this move. But he says it should have been implemented as part of the ongoing review covering defence and foreign policy.
Labour’s Sarah Champion says she is “incredulous” at this move. She says at a stroke the PM is diminishing the UK’s soft power.Labour’s Sarah Champion says she is “incredulous” at this move. She says at a stroke the PM is diminishing the UK’s soft power.
Johnson claims Champion is being “far too negative”. This was a chance to get value from aid spending. And it would also put aid spending at the heart of foreign policy, he says.Johnson claims Champion is being “far too negative”. This was a chance to get value from aid spending. And it would also put aid spending at the heart of foreign policy, he says.
Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, says he has been calling for this for some time. He says Norway and Denmark organise aid spending in this way, and both run successful aid programmes.Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, says he has been calling for this for some time. He says Norway and Denmark organise aid spending in this way, and both run successful aid programmes.
Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, says the PM is ripping apart the structures of UK aid. He claims the government is going to wind down aid for the poorest.Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, says the PM is ripping apart the structures of UK aid. He claims the government is going to wind down aid for the poorest.
He says aid experts have advised against this, claiming this move will amount to the UK turning its back on poorest of the world.He says aid experts have advised against this, claiming this move will amount to the UK turning its back on poorest of the world.
Did the PM read the report from the international development committee on this?Did the PM read the report from the international development committee on this?
Has he consulted aid agencies?Has he consulted aid agencies?
Will DfID jobs in East Kilbride remain?Will DfID jobs in East Kilbride remain?
In his reply, Johnson says most OECD countries merge aid and foreign policy in this way.In his reply, Johnson says most OECD countries merge aid and foreign policy in this way.
He says the SNP want to break up the UK. But they are also lobbying to keep jobs in East Kilbride.He says the SNP want to break up the UK. But they are also lobbying to keep jobs in East Kilbride.
He says he will keep those jobs in East Kilbride. The SNP would throw them away.He says he will keep those jobs in East Kilbride. The SNP would throw them away.
Here is the story from my colleagues Patrick Wintour and Heather Stewart on the DfID/FCO merger.Here is the story from my colleagues Patrick Wintour and Heather Stewart on the DfID/FCO merger.
Johnson is responding to Starmer.Johnson is responding to Starmer.
He says anyone who knows anything about foreign policy knows that Britain’s clout is less than the sum of its parts.He says anyone who knows anything about foreign policy knows that Britain’s clout is less than the sum of its parts.
He says “of course” the DfID budget will be protected.He says “of course” the DfID budget will be protected.
Sir Keir Starmer starts by saying Jo Cox (an international aid worker before she became an MP) valued DfID.Sir Keir Starmer starts by saying Jo Cox (an international aid worker before she became an MP) valued DfID.
And he says Cox would have seen this statement for what it is - “the tactics of pure distraction”.And he says Cox would have seen this statement for what it is - “the tactics of pure distraction”.
The UK has one of the highest death tolls in the world. Unemployment is rising. And the government has just performed a U-turn on school vouchers.The UK has one of the highest death tolls in the world. Unemployment is rising. And the government has just performed a U-turn on school vouchers.
He says this statement is intended to distract attention from all that. “And it will not work.”He says this statement is intended to distract attention from all that. “And it will not work.”
Starmer says he wants to see the UK as a global force for good.Starmer says he wants to see the UK as a global force for good.
That won’t be achieved by abolishing on of the best performing departments, he says.That won’t be achieved by abolishing on of the best performing departments, he says.
He says he is proud Labour created Dfid. And until now it has had cross-party support. He quotes Andrew Mitchell, a Tory former international development secretary, saying it is a key soft power asset for the UK.He says he is proud Labour created Dfid. And until now it has had cross-party support. He quotes Andrew Mitchell, a Tory former international development secretary, saying it is a key soft power asset for the UK.
He say Labour is not convinced by the assurance that the UK will continue to meet the 0.7% aid target.He say Labour is not convinced by the assurance that the UK will continue to meet the 0.7% aid target.
He asks for an assurance that the DfID budget will be protected in the new department.He asks for an assurance that the DfID budget will be protected in the new department.
Johnson says people might ask if this is the right time to reorganise Whitehall.Johnson says people might ask if this is the right time to reorganise Whitehall.
But he says the coronavirus has already shown the need for a whole-government approach in other areas.But he says the coronavirus has already shown the need for a whole-government approach in other areas.
Johnson starts by saying he wants to bring the UK’s influence to bear on the world’s problems.Johnson starts by saying he wants to bring the UK’s influence to bear on the world’s problems.
The UK has the third biggest aid budget and diplomatic network in the world, he says.The UK has the third biggest aid budget and diplomatic network in the world, he says.
Taxpayers would expect that to work for the country, he says.Taxpayers would expect that to work for the country, he says.
He says distinctions between diplomacy and aid are artificial.He says distinctions between diplomacy and aid are artificial.
He says fighting coronavirus worldwide is in the national interest. He says it makes no sense to try to define that as either aid or diplomacy. It is both, he says.He says fighting coronavirus worldwide is in the national interest. He says it makes no sense to try to define that as either aid or diplomacy. It is both, he says.
Yet, under the current system, aid spending is separated, he says. He says Dfid outspends the FCO by a factor of four.Yet, under the current system, aid spending is separated, he says. He says Dfid outspends the FCO by a factor of four.
He says no single department takes an overview of this spending, and how it fits in with diplomatic goals.He says no single department takes an overview of this spending, and how it fits in with diplomatic goals.
Faced with this crisis, we have a responsibility to ask whether the current arrangements still maximise British influence.Faced with this crisis, we have a responsibility to ask whether the current arrangements still maximise British influence.
He says DfID was set up 23 years ago. That was the right decision at the time. It led to the government eventually meeting its target of getting aid spending up to 0.7% of national spending.He says DfID was set up 23 years ago. That was the right decision at the time. It led to the government eventually meeting its target of getting aid spending up to 0.7% of national spending.
Johnson confirms he is merging DfID and the FCO to create a new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.Johnson confirms he is merging DfID and the FCO to create a new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Boris Johnson is addressing MPs now. He starts with a tribute to Jo Cox, the Labour MP murdered by a far-right terrorist four years ago today.
This is from the Oxfam GB chief executive, Danny Sriskandarajah, on the DfID/FCO merger. He said:
Boris Johnson is going to start his Commons statement in the next few minutes.
Boris Johnson will shortly be making his Commons statement about the merger of the Foreign Office with the Department for International Development.
Justine Greening, the Conservative former international development secretary, is not happy about the move, the Mirror’s Pippa Crerar reports.
And Douglas Alexander, a former Labour international development secretary, has described this as “an act of national self harm”.
These are from the BBC’s medical correspondent Fergus Walsh.
Boris Johnson will be taking the government’s press conference at 5pm this afternoon, No 10 has announced.
My colleague Marina Hyde has written a column in praise of Marcus Rashford. Here’s an excerpt.
And here is the full article.
Here is the story from my colleagues Heather Stewart and Helen Pidd on the No 10 school meal vouchers U-turn.
Today’s school meal voucher decision amounts to the third clear policy U-turn from Downing Street during the coronavirus crisis.
Last month Boris Johnson announced that migrant NHS and care staff would no longer have to pay the NHS surcharge (an extra fee added to the cost of their visa to cover the fact they might need NHS services - even though they also pay tax to fund the NHS). This was a policy that Johnson had defended in principle at PMQs.
Less significantly, the Home Office had early announced that it was going to extend a policy allowing the relatives of NHS workers who died from coronavirus indefinite leave to remain in the UK if they were at risk of deportation so that the relatives of other workers, such as cleaners and care staff, were also included. This decision also came in response to public pressure for a shift.
(Arguably the government has also performed various U-turns in its direct handling of coronavirus, for example in relation to community testing, or the lockdown policy itself, but in these areas policy evolved in relation to changing circumstances, and so they have not always been depicted as clear-cut U-turns.)
Marcus Rashford has just posted this on Twitter about his school meal voucher campaign victory.