The international development secretary’s department has singled out the UN body for poor performance

Penny Mordaunt has told cabinet colleagues that she wants Britain to withdraw from Unesco, the UN cultural and education body.

The international development secretary’s request to end the £11.1 million funding at the end of next year triggered concern among colleagues including Theresa May and Michael Gove, as well as in the Foreign Office.

Ms Mordaunt’s department ranks Unesco as its worst performing multilateral agency. She believes that its work does not meet her spending criteria for international aid.

There is deep concern about the political symbolism. Ending funding would mean Britain following the lead set last year by President Trump and Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister. Government sources also expressed worries that Britain would look like it was further retreating from the international