Nick Ferrari demands foreign aid budget becomes the Ukrainian aid budget
9 March 2022, 08:32
Foreign Aid: Nick Ferrari demands aid to India is stopped
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today defended the UK's foreign aid programme when asked why the UK is sending cash to India when its leader has not yet condemned Vladimir Putin.
LBC's Nick Ferrari asked Mr Shapps at Breakfast today: “Narendra Modi is still yet to denounce Vladimir Putin, yet we are, in Britain, about to increase our aid to India from £41m to £55.3m.
"Why are we giving money to India when we have a leader there who will not denounce Putin?
"Shouldn’t the foreign aid budget be the Ukrainian aid budget?”
Mr Shapps replied: "We've got £400m going to humanitarian aid in Ukraine."
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He said Britain is giving Ukraine the most financial support of any country in the world.
"We're increasing our taxpayers money, to India, to a country that won't condemn Vladimir Putin!" Nick responds.
"Lets see what happens Nick," said Mr Shapps. "We're 14 days into this invasion right now. Of course we want every country in the world, including India, to condemn what Putin is doing. Every country needs to reconcile their position with this.
He said democracies like India need to be "very, very concerned" about what Putin is doing in Ukraine.
In a historic speech yesterday, the UK and US were thanked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for their moves to sanction Russian oil.
He welcomed the announcement coordinated between the US and UK on Tuesday to hurt Russia financially over its invasion of Ukraine and said they sent a "powerful signal" to the world.
The historic address came shortly after ministers announced the UK will phase out the import of Russian oil and oil products by the end of the year.
Mr Zelensky went on to say: "This is a powerful signal to the whole world.
Either Russia will respect international law and not wage wars, or it will have no money."
However, in a move likely to draw criticism from campaigners against the climate crisis, ministers were considering steps that could lead to a fracking rethink in the UK.
Amid concerns over soaring energy costs, it was understood two Cuadrilla sites in Lancashire may be handed over to the Royal Geographical Society rather than being concreted over.
