Theresa May’s drive to spend £200m tackling modern slavery comes under fire A review by the official aid watchdog warned there was little evidence of the long-term impact of global projects funded with British taxpayers’ money Concerns were also raised about the UK’s use of the term ‘modern slavery’ The aid watchdog said many projects … Read more
Britain increased its handouts to China last year as the Government overshot its foreign aid target by almost £100million. Schemes funded by UK taxpayers included a photography project to understand the country’s past, syphilis tests for gay men and improving cancer screening in rural areas. Despite a promise a decade ago to stop sending cash … Read more
Rishi Sunak ‘wants to divert billions from foreign aid budget to pay for spies, drones and cyberweapons’ UK has a legal obligation to spend 0.7 percent of GDP (£15.8bn this year) on aid But a review of foreign, defence and security policy could see priorities shift Sunak has told Cabinet any boost for defence will … Read more
‘Jihadi’ textbook probe descends into farce: Investigation into literature used in British-funded Palestinian schools is slammed – after researchers analysed Israeli publications promoting peace A joint UK-EU study to provide a ‘thorough review’ of the books was promised Report to be completed in October by Germany’s Georg Eckert Institute Concerns were raised after presentation of … Read more
New £6.85million foreign aid scheme to help workers supplying UK chains like M&S and Primark is accused of ‘funnelling aid into the pockets of wealthy firms’ Scheme promises to help workers in poorer countries during the pandemic But critics say it uses taxpayer money to ‘pick up the bill’ for rich corporations Others who will … Read more
There can be no greater symbol of mankind’s prosperity than a giant rocket blasting off to a far-flung planet with its engines blazing orange. So in many ways, China’s successful launch yesterday of its mission to conquer Mars was a highly fitting moment for the world’s second largest economy. Certainly it was a bold gesture … Read more
Britain pours tens of millions of aid money into African five-star hotels, Indian celebrity chef’s cookware brand and Kenyan coffee shops CDC Group is supposed to make investments to benefit world’s poorest places It pumped £43million into international business hotel chain Onomo since 2017 It also invested into hotel chain Azalai which owns five-star hotels … Read more
Almost 200 charities have accused ministers of turning their backs on the world’s poorest by scrapping the office that dishes out foreign aid. They say the merger of the Department for International Development with the Foreign Office is an ‘unnecessary and expensive distraction’ that will diminish the UK’s reputation. A total of 188 humanitarian aid … Read more
Boris Johnson announced the government department responsible for foreign aid is to be scrapped in a dramatic overhaul of the way Britain operates overseas. The department for International Development (Dfid) will be merged into the Foreign Office to create the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in a bid to ‘maximise British influence’ overseas, he told … Read more
Foreign aid farce: We send more money to rich countries such as China and India than we hand out to the world’s poorest nations MPs have revealed how much of Britain’s foreign aid budget is being spent There are concerns it is going to China and India rather than poorer nations Proportion to ‘middle income’ … Read more