May: I’ll STILL splash £13bn foreign aid cash

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PM Theresa May has vowed to keep splurging £13billion on foreign aid, despite rows among the Tory cabinet.

Ministers were at war yesterday over whether to axe the bloated handouts in the party’s manifesto.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel defended the budget, insisting Britain should not “compromise our commitment to be a global leader”.

And Mrs May last night promised to continue sending a whopping 0.7% of national income abroad for projects such as helping tackle the Ebola crisis in Africa and supporting Syrian refugees.

Despots

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson want the cash to bolster the military.

And ex-PM David Cameron’s former policy chief Camilla Cavendish said aid spending was “too high” and could be creamed off by corrupt despots abroad.

Save the Children, Unicef and Oxfam are among a group of charities who want to retain the commitment, saying: “We stand up for the underdog.”

But Ukip leader Paul Nuttall hit back, saying: “We want to see British taxpayers’ money spent here in our country on our people. Charity begins at home.”

Mrs May also failed to commit the Tories to preserving the “triple lock” for pensioners, which guarantees payments rise annually by the highest of inflation, average earnings or 2.5%.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said: “It proves the Tories are abandoning older people. It’s now clear pensions protections are now in jeopardy.” And Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael said OAPs “should realise that their pensions are not safe in Conservative hands”.

Chancellor Philip Hammond also wants to drop the Conservative pledge not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT during the next Parliament.

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