HIGHLIGHTING how foreign aid money is being used abroad was a piece of cake for campaigners.

Shoppers in York Place, Brighton, were given a slice of cake in the shape of Africa by the Brighton and Hove World Development Movement.The stunt aimed to highlight claims that £600 million of aid money, paid for by British taxpayers, is being used to fund a corporate takeover of African agriculture.

Susanne Schuster, of the World Development Movement, said: “The New Alliance, a project of corporations and governments, claims its objective is to end poverty.

“Big British and multinational corporations, along with the UK government, claim they want to help the world's poor.

“In reality the New Alliance will push people into poverty and it’s being partly funded with hundreds of millions of pounds of British taxpayers' aid money.

“We need the secretary of state for international development to withdraw UK funding for the New Alliance and ensure that UK policies and aid spending are aligned with the principles of food sovereignty.

“People we spoke to were shocked to discover that our government is funding this project. However, the carrot cake was delicious.”