SWATHES of ludicrous overseas aid projects burning through millions of taxpayer pounds have finally been axed, ministers confirmed today.
It follows the Sun’s revelation of the shocking extent of public money squandered on woke development schemes abroad.
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The Department of Foreign Affairs has begun culling programmes after Sir Keir Starmer announced in February that Britain’s aid budget would be slashed by £6 billion a year to bolster defence spending.
Among the projects cut is a £3.9mn scheme to “boost climate resilient and low carbon development” in Iraq.
A colossal £95mn initiative to “boost welfare” in Jordan has also been binned.
And £120mn pledged to “support the Governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan to improve education” will be terminated.
Meanwhile, £4.6mn in direct cash handouts to “climate-vulnerable communities in Malawi” has been scrapped.
In May, Development Minister Jenny Chapman declared that “the days of viewing the UK Government as a global charity are over”.
She told MPs on the International Development Committee: “We need to support other countries’ systems so they can educate their children, reform their own healthcare systems, grow their economies in ways that last and, ultimately, exit the need for aid.
“We have an opportunity and a responsibility to modernise the way that we work.”
From 2027 the international aid budget will represent 0.3 per cent of GDP – approximately £9.2bn in annual spending.
