Cameron reaffirms Britain's Aid Commitment

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph....s-aid-commitment.html

Our Prime Minister speaking at the UN in New York recently said this in defence of Britain's increasing overseas aid bill.

"I think it is important that countries that make promises keep those promises."

"We made promises to the poorest people in the world and it is a promise we should keep."

Perhaps he should consider the promises he has made to his own people?

While the British people see ever increasing cuts, job losses, increased food prices, closure of important institutions, and the disgusting way that some of the elderly are treated in their last years of life.

[Gromit]

But he promised cuts to local authorities at the General Election. Job losses, inflation, closure of libraries etc and poor care of the elderly are a consequence of his desire to payback the banks from whom we borrowed money to save other banks (no I'm not making it up).

When it comes to improving the lives of billions of people on this planet, the very wealthy countries (including the UK) have help the very poorest. There are strange anomolies that need to be addressed such as counties with a space programme being given our money. That is clearly wrong, but the basic concept of the better off helping the worse off is sound and is nothing new, the Victorians started the alms race.

[TTG]

Don't have a problem with the UK helping others in need...as long as the other 'rich' countries do the same.

[Gromit]

The British have a long and noble tradition of charitable giving. I'm sure there must have been Moaning Minnies like the OP when OxFam was set up 70 years ago.

[Ann]

TTG - well said! Nobody begrudges charity giving to the extreme poor, its the HUGE amount Cameron is giving away - totally over the top!

[sp1814]

But surely Cameron has kept his promises. I clearly remember at the last election the Conservatives stating that the only way out of recession is to cut public spending and to reduce the deficit.

This is what happens when you do that - unemployment rises.

By the way - what can the government do about rising food prices? Surely in a market driven economy, the cost of food should be determined by demand and supply.

[pdq1]

He says it was in his last manifesto...I can't remember seeing it? He did promise to maintain the health budget but how is this possible when they are laying off health staff and cutting it to the bone...what about that commitment?

By giving money to foreigners doesn't absolve you being the nasty party...its how you treat your own that matters.

[New Judge]

"The British have a long and noble tradition of charitable giving..."

Definition of "charity (from the OED):

"the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need."

Note the word "voluntary" in the definition. The UK's Overseas Aid contribution made by taxpayers is NOT voluntary and is NOT charitable. The electorate has no say in the matter because for some unfathomable reason none of the parties likely to form a government has,in its manifesto, a committment to end foreign aid.

As far as Mr Cameron's "promises" go, he has broken a considerable number which he made to the electorate prior to the last General Election - some in the manifesto and some implied by the false propaganda which was spread during the election campaign. (The "Bonfire of the Quangos", a scaling back of the impact of the European Court of Human Rights on purely domestic issues and "Repatriation of Powers from the EU" are a few that immediately spring to mind). No doubt much of this failure will be said to be attributable to being in Coalition instead of governing outright. Nonetheless, the Prime Minister needs to reconsider some of the promises he made (and has subsequently broken) which have a profound impact on the people of the UK before he worries about the effect our penury might have on foreigners.

[Gromit]

Of course it is voluntary, the Government have taken this action even though they are not obliged to do so. The British public have a vote every 5 years and decide the Government. If you do not like their policies vote for someone different next time.

[Arti]

The core value of any Tory is f**k you, Jack, as long as I can keep getting richer.
I am therefore suspicious as to why Cameron is sending so much aid overseas. What's the real reason?

[Gromit]

The Conservative's General Election Manifesto 2010:

• Pledge to match Labour's spending plans for overseas aid.

That is what you all voted for.

[Duncer]

Someone wrong matching someone else who is wrong does not make a right. Why give aid to a country that tells us they don't need it? Why fund dictators? You tell us to vote for someone different, but the ony two electable parties are so similar it is impossible.

If you feel so strongly then "up" your own contributions rather than lecture others about their opposition to policy.

[New Judge]

I think we've trodden this path before, Gromit, but to suggest that paying tax (whatever it's used for) is somehow "voluntary" is simply laughable. To blur the issue by suggesting that the electorate has a choice as to what their taxes are frittered on is similarly preposterous. Party politics, and the desire of all the major parties to want to be all things to all men, has seen to it that there is no such choice.

It is an interesting anomaly which suggests that pensioners who "do not need" such things as their Winter Fuel Allowance should be denied them but that large sums of taxpayers' dosh continue to be lavished on foreigners who equally "do not need" them.