UK parliament backs foreign aid cut after PM Johnson sees off rebellion

FILE PHOTO: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes questions in Parliament, in London, Britain June 23, 2021. UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will go ahead with a temporary cut to its foreign aid budget after Prime Minister Boris Johnson defeated a rebellion in parliament on Tuesday by lawmakers in his Conservative Party.

The government won a vote by 333 to 298 on its proposal to cut the minimum spend on overseas development to 0.5% of economic output. The cut was first announced in November as a measure to help pay for the COVID-19 pandemic.