David Cameron has suggested aid money should be stripped from corrupt countries because it is unfair on taxpayers.

The former prime minister said that nations who fail to prove "basic norms of governance" should not be given funds.

He questioned whether it was right for corrupt regimes to get funding "year after year after year" as he called for a change in approach.

The comments came as Mr Cameron appeared before a US congressional committee to discuss how to help "fragile" states.

They carry weight given Mr Cameron is one of the biggest supporters of UK’s development budget.

He brought in the legal requirement for Britain to spend 0.7 per cent of GDP a year on aid.

It follows a string of scandals over how Britain's aid budget is spent, with some claims that funds have ended up in the wrong hands in the past.