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David Cameron defends decision to give £3m to Kids Company

David Cameron has defended the decision to give a £3 million Government grant to Kids Company against the advice of civil servants, insisting it was the "right thing to do" to give the charity "one last chance".

The charity was forced to shut its doors on Wednesday after funding ran out, amid allegations of financial mismanagement, which it denies.

Kids Company workers and supporters marched to the gates of Downing Street on Friday protesting the closure of the charity.

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Kids Company received public funds despite 'concerns'

In the 19 years Kids Company has been running, it has received £37 million in public money.

In 2012, the Department for Education raised serious concerns about the charity's finances. But it continued to receive funds, including a £3 million grant last week, just before the charity's closure.

David Cameron said ministers overruled civil servants advice to withhold funding to approve the grant to give the charity a "second chance".

But the charity's founder, Camila Batmanghelidjh said she believed the government didn't want the charity to go under before the election because it wouldn't look good.

She emphatically denies any wrongdoing but her charity and its links with the government are now the focus of attention.

ITV News Correspondent, Neil Connery reports:

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David Cameron defends decision to give £3m to Kids Company

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