This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36266171

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
David Cameron's corruption remark 'merely stating facts' - Philip Hammond Cameron praises Nigeria and Afghanistan's corruption action
(about 3 hours later)
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has defended David Cameron after he was recorded calling Afghanistan and Nigeria "fantastically corrupt", saying the PM was "merely stating a fact". Nigeria and Afghanistan have taken "remarkable steps forward" on corruption, David Cameron told MPs - a day after calling the countries "fantastically corrupt".
He said the countries' leaders acknowledged a corruption problem. The PM said the countries' leaders were "battling hard" to tackle the problem.
The PM was recorded in conversation with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. It comes after he was recorded talking to the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said he was "shocked" and a senior Afghan official said the characterisation was "unfair". An Afghan official said "bold" action had already been taken while Nigeria's president said he would not be demanding an apology from the PM.
Mr Buhari's spokesman initially responded to the story by saying Nigeria's government was deeply "shocked and embarrassed" by Mr Cameron's comments. Asked at the anti-corruption conference in London if Nigeria was "fantastically corrupt", Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who came to power last year on a promise to fight corruption, replied: "Yes."
But the Nigerian president, who came to power last year on a promise to fight corruption, has said he will not be demanding an apology from the British prime minister. Mr Buhari said he was more interested in the return of stolen assets held in British banks, adding that corruption in Nigeria was endemic and his government was committed to fighting it.
Asked at an anti-corruption conference in London if Nigeria was "fantastically corrupt", Mr Buhari replied: "Yes."
In a speech, the Nigerian leader described corruption as a "hydra-headed monster" which threatened the security of countries and "does not differentiate between developed and developing countries".
He said corruption in Nigeria was endemic and his government was committed to fighting it.
Archbishop defends president
The UK government is hosting world and business leaders at the summit in London, aiming to "galvanise a global response to tackle corruption".
Mr Cameron had been speaking at an event to mark the Queen's 90th birthday about hosting this week's anti-corruption summit in London
"We've got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain... Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world," he was overheard saying.
After his comments, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby intervened to say: "But this particular president is not corrupt... he's trying very hard," before Speaker John Bercow said: "They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?"
'A truthful gaffe'
James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent
On the face of it, it is perhaps one of the most undiplomatic things a prime minister could say - to describe two countries as fantastically corrupt just hours before their leaders visit Britain.
The prime minister's remarks were outspoken and unguarded but they were not untrue. Both Afghanistan and Nigeria come high on lists of the world's most corrupt nations.
And later in the conversation, the prime minister agreed with the Archbishop of Canterbury that President Buhari of Nigeria is not corrupt himself and is trying very hard to tackle the problem.
A Downing Street spokesman noted both men had written openly about the subject in a collection of essays being published this week.
So this was a truthful gaffe, another moment when the prime minister was caught on camera saying something ostensibly embarrassing.
Labour said Mr Cameron had egg on his face. But, as Downing Street acknowledged, the cameras were very close to the prime minister and his anti-corruption summit is now very firmly in the headlines.
Speaking on a visit to Gibraltar, Mr Hammond said the leaders of both countries were determined to crack down on corruption.
He added: "The prime minister was merely stating a fact. These are both countries with serious corruption problems and the leaders of both those countries know they have those problems and are determined to deal with them."
Mr Cameron was also defended by ex-London mayor Boris Johnson, who said people would "find it refreshing he was speaking his mind".
In Transparency International's 2015 corruption perception index, Afghanistan was ranked at 167, ahead of only Somalia and North Korea, Nigeria was at 136.
The Afghan embassy in London said tackling corruption was one of President Ghani's top priorities and "bold" action had been taken.The Afghan embassy in London said tackling corruption was one of President Ghani's top priorities and "bold" action had been taken.
"We have made important progress in fighting systematic capture in major national procurement contracts and are making progress on addressing institutional issues as well as issues related to impunity... Therefore calling Afghanistan in that way is unfair." "We have made important progress in fighting systematic capture in major national procurement contracts and are making progress on addressing institutional issues as well as issues related to impunity... therefore calling Afghanistan in that way is unfair."
Tax havens 'Plundered money'
Mr Cameron's original comment about the two countries came while he was speaking at an event to mark the Queen's 90th birthday about hosting world and business leaders at this week's anti-corruption summit in London
"We've got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain... Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world," he was caught on camera saying.
Mr Cameron was asked about his comments during Prime Minister's Questions, where he jokingly checked his microphone was working, referred to "tips on diplomacy" and said he had made "many unforced errors" in the past 24 hours.
Answering a question from Tory backbencher Philip Davies - who asked why UK aid was being given to countries the PM sees as corrupt - he praised the action taken by Afghanistan and Nigeria and warned cutting off aid could "come back to haunt us here".
He also defended action by his own government, including on overseas tax havens and measures to make sure "plundered money from African countries can't be hidden in London".
In the footage showing Mr Cameron's comments, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby intervened to say: "But this particular president is not corrupt... he's trying very hard," before Speaker John Bercow said: "They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?"
Earlier Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the PM had been "merely stating a fact" in his comments, and ex-London mayor Boris Johnson said people would "find it refreshing he was speaking his mind".
In Transparency International's 2015 corruption perception index, Afghanistan was ranked at 167, ahead of only Somalia and North Korea, Nigeria was at 136.
No 10 said the presidents of Nigeria and Afghanistan had "acknowledged the scale of the corruption challenge they face in their countries".No 10 said the presidents of Nigeria and Afghanistan had "acknowledged the scale of the corruption challenge they face in their countries".
Speaking ahead of Thursday's summit, Mr Cameron said: "For too long there has been a taboo about tackling this issue head-on. Tax havens
"The summit will change that. Together we will push the fight against corruption to the top of the international agenda where it belongs." But Labour said a Tory government "hosting an anti-corruption summit was like putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop".
But Labour said a Tory government "hosting an anti-corruption summit is like putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop".
"The government is refusing to take meaningful action to close Britain's constellation of tax havens, which together constitute the largest financial secrecy network in the world," said shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott."The government is refusing to take meaningful action to close Britain's constellation of tax havens, which together constitute the largest financial secrecy network in the world," said shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott.
Transparency International said the UK's record was mixed and concrete action was needed on tax evasion and secrecy in the wake of the Panama Papers disclosures, stopping tainted firms from bidding for public contracts and protecting whistleblowers who expose corruption.Transparency International said the UK's record was mixed and concrete action was needed on tax evasion and secrecy in the wake of the Panama Papers disclosures, stopping tainted firms from bidding for public contracts and protecting whistleblowers who expose corruption.
Asked whether the PM knew his remarks to the Queen were being recorded, Downing Street said: "The cameras are very close to him, there are multiple cameras in the room."Asked whether the PM knew his remarks to the Queen were being recorded, Downing Street said: "The cameras are very close to him, there are multiple cameras in the room."
At a garden party later on Tuesday, the Queen herself was filmed on camera making comments about the Chinese government.At a garden party later on Tuesday, the Queen herself was filmed on camera making comments about the Chinese government.
She told a senior police officer that she had heard the Chinese had been very rude to Britain's ambassador to China during President Xi's state visit last year. The Queen also agreed that the Chinese state visit had been a testing time for the police and told the officer it was "bad luck" that she had been in charge of security at the time. She told a senior police officer that she had heard the Chinese had been very rude to Britain's ambassador to China during President Xi's state visit last year.