Britain’s chancellor has given the first hint that the promise to protect the international aid budget could be scrapped after the next election.
Philip Hammond confirmed that all protected areas of spending would be re-examined before the Conservative manifesto is produced before the 2020 election.
Despite David Cameron’s decision to commit in law to spend 0.7 per cent of gross national income on aid, Mr Hammond pointedly suggested that there were no exclusions from the review.
His suggestion came after The Times reported yesterday that Britain had given £274 million in foreign aid to the Strategic Climate Fund, a controversial climate change organisation, without knowing where the money goes.
Mr Hammond was speaking at a hearing of the Treasury select committee yesterday where he was facing questions on the aid commitment from Chris Philp, Tory MP for Croydon South.