“We must not forget that, as my adult sons remind me regularly, every pound we spend on international aid is borrowed from our future generations," she insisted.
It comes after the government announced a reduction in foreign aid from 0.7 per cent of national income, which is enshrined in law, to 0.5 per cent.
Conservative former cabinet minister David Davis cautioned that the aid cut has “potentially the fatal consequences of a medium-sized war”.
Although the Speaker rejected the amendment in the Commons, he urged the government to bring a vote on the issue.
Around 30 Tory MPs could back a rebel amendment to guarantee the 0.7 per cent aid target continues to be met.