Kate Osamor MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for
International Development, commenting on allegations that the British aid
budget has contributed towards human rights violations and terrorist
groups in Syria, to be aired tonight following a six
month Panorama investigation, said:
“Spent properly, Britain’s aid budget achieves incredible
results and we must not shy away from working in conflict-affected
countries. But if these allegations are true, British taxpayers will be rightly
outraged.
"We need to understand how the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office allowed this to happen, and why their mechanisms for properly managing
aid projects failed. The opaque Conflict, Stability and Security Fund that
financed this project also operates in 70 other countries – many with
questionable human rights records.
"This
investigation is likely to be only the tip of the iceberg: the
Government must now open up its books so the public can understand the true
extent of the problem.”
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