Why does the Labour Government spent money it does not have?

We got rid of a mive debt to the Yanks for "helping" us in the last war and then almost as soon as it is paid of this wonderfully prudent Labour Government gets us into the highest recorded peacetime debt. With the country being in such a bad state due to such prudence, why are we giving away billions in aid to developing countries and third world countries etc. I know that they have no morals and just print notes willy nilly having prudently sold our gold reserves, but surely every family knows that if you are in debt,you work to clear it, not give more away,however good the cause seems.