Poor African countries that persecute homosexuals will have their aid slashed by the British government in a bid by David Cameron to take his gay rights crusade to the Third World

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell has already cut aid to Malawi by £19 million after two gay men were sentenced to 14 years hard labor and he has warned the country's leaders to scrap plans to introduce draconian new anti-lesbian laws. Mitchell, one of Cameron's closest allies, is also threatening to impose further aid fines against Uganda and Ghana for hard-line anti-gay and lesbian measures. Cameron wants to force those countries where homosexuality is still taboo to pursue a pro-gay agenda – and he is ready to reduce aid to some of the world's poorest people in order to do so. The cut in aid to Malawi came after two gay men were convicted in 2010 under the country's rigidly imposed ban on homosexuality. Pop stars Elton John and Madonna joined an international outcry when Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 26, and Steven Monjeza, 20, received a 14-year sentence for getting engaged.