Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk has insisted questions need to be asked about government foreign aid cash not being diverted to boost flood defences in the UK.

Mr Danczuk’s constituency was devastated by Boxing Day floods, with hundreds of homes destroyed and thousands left without power for two days.

In the aftermath, he called for overseas aid funding to be spent in the UK to protect residents from flooding.

His call was echoed by Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who, insisting that we must ‘start putting our own people first’, said the government had ‘ring-fenced’ a ‘ballooning foreign-aid budget’.

Britain is one of few countries world to commit to the United Nations target of spending 0.7pc of its GDP on foreign aid every year.

The commitment has seen overseas aid spending rise to £12bn due to economic growth.

Mr Danczuk, speaking on BBC Radio Manchester, said: “Why do we spend money in Bangladesh when it needs spending in Great Britain?

“What we need to do is to sort out the problems which are occurring here and not focus so much on developing countries. That has to be our priority. We need to put that right as soon as possible.”

Mr Danczuk was quickly accused of ‘peddling’ a Ukip policy. But speaking to the M.E.N, he insisted the issue ‘must be discussed’.

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He added: “I think we should have a debate about how funding is being used. I’ve never agreed with this idea that we have a figure for foreign aid and we have to work up to that. We should put the money into where it’s needed.

“Every other government department has faced cuts, but foreign aid hasn’t. We just need to look at why money is being spent elsewhere and not first in the UK on flood defences.”

The Prime Minister has promised the ‘same level of support’ for people in Rochdale as those hit by flooding in Cumbria.

Rochdale council leader Richard Farnell announced on Monday that an emergency fund would be set up to give £500 to affected households.

Mr Danczuk said that although the Environment Agency had been pressed to do more prevention work, because of cutbacks ‘we could not expect that to happen’.

He said: “It’s been awful, terrible for people who have been affected, we need to put that rights as soon as possible.

“It’s all about prevention - I think more could have been done, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. I think the Environment Agency could have done more to prepare for this. We would have anticipated this and concerns were raised with the Environment Agency.”

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