EU Aid to Uganda Must Stop

Marina Yannakoudakis
Conservative MEP for London

Following on from yesterday's announcement that the UK is stopping aid to Uganda on grounds of "the massive theft of funds in the Office of the Prime Minister," today we hear a plea from UK MEP Marina Yannakoudakis to withdraw further funding if flagrant disregard for the human rights of LGBT people persists.

Tory MEP says EU aid must stop if Uganda passes anti-gay bill

Conservative MEP Marina Yannakoudakis says foreign aid to Uganda from the EU should be halted if the country’s parliament passes the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

The London MEP made the comments on Monday in the European Parliament.

In a direct rebuke at Uganda’s Parliamentary Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, who last week claimed the bill should be passed as a “Christmas gift”, Mrs Yannakoudakis responded by saying:

“This is a terrible present for the Ugandan people at a time when we should be celebrating peace and goodwill to all men and women...

Interesting times ahead. Although Ugandan campaigners have urged for aid not to be cut to the country, it's an impossible task to explain to Western tax payers why they should continue funding a regime that refuses to recognise basic human rights.

Sorry Uganda, it's bad enough that gay people's taxes in the UK fund Catholic faith schools preaching homophobia. We can't go funding entire countries to do the same.