MP condemns critics of spending aid money on defence

An MP has condemned critics of David Cameron's plan to consider spending money from the UK's £10bn aid budget on peacekeeping and other defence-related projects.

Such a move could see funds diverted from the Department for International Development to the Ministry of Defence.

Critics argue that aid money should not be used to compensate for defence cuts.

But Colonel Bob Stewart, Conservative MP for Beckenham, defended the prime minister's view that security is sometimes needed before aid can be delivered to the people who need it, saying: "If people don't think that, I think they're barking"