Theresa May urged to cut £12billion foreign aid budget as it’s revealed UK pays double global average
A recent OCED report found Britain spends 0.7 per cent of its national income on foreign aid, while the average for the rest of the world was 0.32 per cent
THERESA May faced fresh pressure to slash Britain’s bloated foreign aid budget after figures revealed that UK taxpayers pay double the global average.
An OECD report said that while Britain spent 0.7 per cent of its national income on aid in 2016, the average for the rest of the world was 0.32 per cent.
The staggering figures separately revealed that India was the second biggest recipient of aid from western nations – pocketing almost £750million more than Syria.
Tory MPs said the report should “ring alarm bells in Downing Street”.
Furious Tory backbencher Nigel Evans blasted: “This demonstrates that there a huge number of wealthy countries refusing to step up to the plate.”
Others said it defied belief that India – one of the fastest growing superpowers in the world – could receive so much assistance.
Damning figures in November showed Britain handed India £93 million in overseas aid alone in 2016.
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The Department for Business signed off £86,616 of cash for “yoga-based cardiac rehabilitation” in India.
Yesterday’s report from the OECD confirmed the UK was the third biggest donor in 2016, following the US and Germany.
The UK was one of only six ‘advanced’ nations to meet the 0.7 per cent target.