Gov't Avoids Poss Defeat On Aid As Commons Clerks Rule Vote 'Out Of Scope'

The UK gov't has avoided a potentially damaging and embarrassing defeat on a proposed amendment regarding foreign aid cuts after the clerks of the House of Commons ruled the amendment was 'out of scope' for the bill it was being tagged on to.

• The Conservative rebels, who oppose the gov'ts reduction in aid spending from 0.7% to 0.5% of GNI implemented due to the impact of the pandemic on the UK economy, had sought to attach an amendment to the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) Bill. ARIA is set to be an agency tasked with innovative research policy, with the amendment seeking to force any shortfall in aid spending below 0.7% of GNI to be made up from the ARIA budget.
• 44 Conservative MPs would have needed to vote against the gov't in order to deliver a defeat to PM Boris Johnson. It was not guaranteed this number would have been reached. Nevertheless, a major rebellion on the eve of the G7 summit would have caused notable embarrassment to the PM. Moreover, the thwarted vote is a sign that while his gov't holds a healthy parliamentary working majority of 87 seats, there is a sizeable section of the parliamentary party willing to go against the PM on certain issues.