Money intended for international aid would be used for a new military “stabilisation” force under a Conservative government, the party said today.
The Conservatives made clear they would strengthen the Foreign Office at the expense of the Department for International Development (Dfid) as they set out their national security pans.
David Cameron indicated the Dfid would continue to remain as an independent Whitehall department.
But the Tories made clear that Foreign Office would become the dominant partner, with Dame Pauline Neville Jones, the shadow security minister, telling the BBC that the Foreign Office needs to become “more prominent”. Andrew Mitchell, the shadow international development secretary, did not attend the launch.
He confirmed aid money will be used to fund a stabilisation and reconstruction force, horrifying aid agencies.
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David Mepham, Save the Children’s Director of Policy said: “There is an urgent need for the Conservatives to clarify that the purpose of development aid is poverty reduction, not subsidizing military operations.
“Save the Children is very concerned that the Conservatives’ security spokesperson on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning, left open the possibility of significant aid funds being diverted into stabilisation units.
“This dangerously muddles up security and development goals, increasing the risks facing development and humanitarian workers in conflict situations.”
Kirsty Hughes, Oxfam Head of Policy, said: “Removing aid from the poorest people and using it for military goals rather than tackling poverty would be a big step backwards and would undermine the UK’s leadership role on international development.”
Mr Cameron said the Conservatives would abide by OECD rules when matching the 0.7 per cent aid commitment. This would not prevent the money being used for some military operations.
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The Conservatives signalled that the Dfid’s ability to set its own policy agenda would be limited if they gained power. The policy document said the Dfid would need to sign up to common aims with the Foreign Office — a contrast to the current position where the two departments have pursued different agendas in areas like Africa.
“Development assistance has a central role to play in (conflict prevention). Dfid and the FCO need to work closely together on an agreed agenda,” said the document.
Foreign Office officials have long complained that in some parts of the world the Dfid, which has been generously funded by Gordon Brown while the Foreign Office budgets have been squeezed, has pursued a separate, sometimes conflicting agenda.
The document did not set out how the budgets would be organised. One suggestion studied by the Tories is that ambassadors would be in charge of UK funding in each country — a major change from the present position.
Mr Cameron insisted that Mr Mitchell agreed with the plan.
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He told the audience that the reason Mr Mitchell was absent was because he was in Birmingham. Two hours later he appeared on television from Westminster. A spokeswoman for Mr Cameron said Mr Mitchell’s plans changed last night but he had other diary commitments which prevented him from attending and denied there was a split.
Questions remain inside the Conservatives as to the future role of Britain in diplomacy.
The national security strategy suggests that Britain would continue to punch above its weight.
“We are a great country, with political, cultural and economic authority worldwide which far exceeds our size. It is in our national interest to preserve and extend this influence. Not out of a sense of nostalgia for past glories, but because we wish to cope with present challenges and seize future opportunities.”