Conservative parliamentary candidate for Batley & Spen Janice Small welcomed Andrew Mitchell, the shadow international development secretary, to the Mount Pleasant mosque in Batley.

Mr Mitchell said: “I have been made very welcome today by those leaving prayers with our message that international development will be ring-fenced by a Conservative government.

“This is important to develop trade, improve health, mitigate climate change and immigration.”

In addition the pair visited Batley Resource Centre and met John Tomlinson, a consultant obstetrician who gave a presentation on the Salvation Army’s work in Zambia and Tanzania. Mr Mitchell said he was committed to match funding for NGOs who had proven outcomes within international aid.