Cut aid to corrupt regimes, says ex-pm

DAVID CAMERON yesterday suggested that aid money should be stripped from corrupt countries because it is unfair on taxpayers.

The former prime minister said that nations who fail to prove “basic norms of governance” should not be given funds.

He questioned whether it was right for corrupt regimes to get funding “year after year after year” as he called for a change in approach.

The comments came as Mr Cameron appeared before a US senate foreign relations committee to discuss how to help “fragile” states.

Mr Cameron is one of the biggest supporters of UK’S development budget. He brought in the legal requirement for Britain to spend 0.7pc of GDP a year on aid.

His comments follow a string of scandals over how Britain’s aid budget is spent, with some claims that funds have ended up in the wrong hands in the past.

Mr Cameron, who was appearing in his role as chairman for the Commission on State Fragility, Growth and Development, called for a rethink on how aid is directed. He said that countries often make the greatest advancement from fragility after a “particular moment” such as a new leader and suggested that should guide how aid is distributed.

Mr Cameron added: “There may be some cases where the governance in a particular country is so bad that we simply say ‘well, we’re not going to help because we cannot have the guarantees that this money is not going to be wasted, that the corruption doesn’t continue’, because it’s not fair on our taxpayers to say we’re going to go on supporting a country where they’re not even achieving the basic norms of governance and audit to make sure this money isn’t stolen.”

The former prime minister made a similar point in his written submission, suggesting nations should be told “we will back your programme as long as you cut out corruption and stop the theft of aid money”.

Mr Cameron did make clear in his written submission that he did not think aid spending should be scrapped, but that “we need to change how we do aid”.

The criticism of current aid spending is likely to be cheered by Tory backbenchers who have questioned Mr Cameron’s decision to legislate to protect aid spending when in office.

Mr Cameron appeared to be speaking about the international aid system in general rather than specifically about the way Britain’s development budget is spent.

Mr Cameron also used his written statement to talk up the danger of instability in nations across the world.

He said: “Some countries are poorer than they were 40 years ago despite the aid that has been delivered there. Fragile states are also increasingly linked to terrorism, crime, mass migration and pandemics.”