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As faith leaders we are called to dedicate ourselves to serving the poor and vulnerable both at home and overseas; we therefore call on MPs to attend and save lives by voting in favour of overseas aid legislation in parliament on Friday. The proposed bill means that the UK government will continue to honour Britain’s commitment to spend the 0.7% of our national income on international aid, a promise made in all three main parties’ manifestos and the coalition agreement of the current government.
Despite challenges at home, we should be proud to be a nation that has kept our promise to the world’s poor and upheld our responsibilities of fairness and generosity. Every day UK aid saves and changes lives and helps to respond to humanitarian crises like those in Iraq and Syria.
Enshrining our commitment in law would ensure that our support continues until it is no longer needed and will enable us to focus our efforts on making certain that UK aid is having the greatest possible impact, transforming and improving lives. By voting for aid legislation, MPs can play their part in the solutions to global poverty – we urge them to seize the historic opportunity presented by this bill.
Rabbi Danny Rich Chief executive, Liberal Judaism, Rt Rev Dr Alastair Redfern Bishop of Derby, Shuja Shafi Secretary general, Muslim Council of Britain, Rt Rev William Kenney Auxiliary bishop of Birmingham
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