Top Tory can't say where £38million of taxpayer cash will go in cringe interview

01 November 2023 , 09:39

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Top Tory can't say where £38million of taxpayer cash will go in cringe interview

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has been blasted in an extraordinary car-crash radio exchange after he was unable to say where £38million of taxpayers' cash will go.

Mr Dowden boasted that the money will help harness the benefits of AI in Africa. But when pressed about which countries would benefit, he was unable to say.

Bemused LBC interviewer Nick Ferrari told the top Tory: "If I was DPM and I was handing out £38million worth of voters' money, I'd be bloody certain which countries it was going to in Africa, but that's just me."

In the awkward exchange, which can be heard above, Mr Dowden said: "I think we need to make sure that AI is not a tool just for the rich developed nations but of all nations around the world."

Oliver Dowden stumbled during the testy radio exchange (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

He said that "developing countries" should be able to access technology such as facial recognition. But pressed on where the money would go he said: "We will make the individual decisions about the allocation of that fund through a normal process.

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"This is a statement of intent and the funding to make sure it benefits the whole world."

He then went on to claim that decisions hadn't been made, despite the Government saying eight AI laboratories had been selected to receive a share of the cash. Mr Dowden said: "The decision on individual country allocations hasn't been made yet. Some some has been made available and that the intent is as I described."

Unwilling to let it go, Mr Ferrari said: "What it says here, it'll fund eight AI laboratories that African universities so if we know it's going to universities, which are the countries?" He then continued: "The country is pledging £38million to aid universities in Africa and you don't know where that £38million of my listeners' money (is going). You've no idea which countries it's going to how how successful does that look to you?"

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Dave Burke