Tory MPs reacted with fury to the idea the government is prioritising foreign aid at a time when, bin collection, protection of the elderly and other council-run services are under pressure from the cuts.

Sir Gerald Howarth, a former Tory shadow minister, said: “We are at the point of facing a real crisis in local government where absolutely essential services, such as care for the elderly, are under massive pressure.

“By contrast Dfid is awash with cash and struggling to find ways of pushing this vast shedload of taxpayers’ money out of the door.

“Politics is about priorities. Surely after all the austerity we need to show the British people that we’ve got out priories right? The priority must be to look after the vulnerable citizens at home and to strengthen our defences in the face of very dangerous turbulent world out there.”

The majority of local authorities across the country have taken advantage of new powers to increase council tax by close to 4 per cent in the next financial year, partly to help fund social care.