I was dismayed by Frank Field’s comments suggesting Priti Patel has inherited a department providing poorly targeted aid (Letters, 5 April). The Department for International Development (DfID), contrary to rightwing media misinformation, constantly performs highly on OECD measures of aid effectiveness and transparency – and its officials do an amazing job despite downward pressures on personnel costs.
It is very disappointing that Labour is not doing more to defend UK Aid in the face of rightwing media criticism, and should support the excellent work that is being done by DfID to tackle extreme poverty and social exclusion. Frank Field’s views merely reinforce some of the aid myths that Labour should be trying much harder to debunk.
Dr Rachel Yates
London
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