Britain will on Friday challenge the World Bank to focus aid spending on “countries who need it most”, rather than more developed nations such as Brazil, India and China.

Priti Patel, the International Development Secretary, said the World Bank must use British taxpayers’ money to help poor countries “stand on their own two feet”.

Britain is the biggest contributor to the bank’s International Development Association (IDA), which provides loans and grants to the world’s poorest countries.