Justine Greening MP: The key question on international aid is this - do you want to shape the world, or be shaped by it?

The fifth piece in our series looking at the arguments for and against international aid is by Justine Greening MP, Secretary of State for International Development.

This week, the UN announced that the number of refugees fleeing Syria had passed 2 million, 1 million of them children. It is a dreadful reminder that the real victims of Assad’s assault on his own people are the civilians who have had to leave their homes, often with literally no more than the clothes on their backs. These people are utterly reliant on the generosity of neighbouring countries like Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey, and on support from the international community.

Britain can be proud of our role in providing this humanitarian support. We will not forget the plight of refugees. Nor will we stand back and wait for the pressure on surrounding countries to become unbearable as thousands of new people arrive every day needing food, water, shelter and medical attention.

Justine Greening MP: Ed Miliband and Ed Balls are demonstrating that for Labour, integrity and credibility play second fiddle to political manoeuvring

Justine Greening is Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

It’s been almost a year since we switched from the opposition to the government benches, and we’ve already made huge progress, putting in place the deficit reduction plan and making Britain open for business again.

But changing where you sit in the chamber also gives you an interesting perspective on your opponents. I spent two years in the Shadow Treasury team, and it taught me that being in Opposition is not just about opposing; it’s about presenting a credible alternative government.

So how are Labour doing? Right now, they don’t seem to be adjusting well to their new role.

Fiscal discipline can make or break an opposition. But after the two Eds’ much-hyped warning to front benchers not to promise any new spending, Labour have managed to rack up £16 billion of unfunded commitments in the last few weeks alone – a staggering figure.