Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride is set to unveil a major new pledge on foreign aid as he makes his Tory conference speech on Monday – and it could be a big vote-winner. Sir Mel is set to unveil plans that the next Tory government would slash foreign aid right down to the bone, from its current 0.3% to just 0.1% of gross national income.
The pledge is part of a wider package of cuts Sir Mel believes must be made to get the economy moving and free the government up to slash taxes. The foreign aid cut of £3billion a year would be part of a package of cuts representing a whopping £47billion over the next parliament. The rest of the savings would come from slashing welfare, the Civil Service and green subsidies.
Sir Mel will speak in Manchester at 10am.
Follow our live blog below for the day’s updates.