�5 air tax for African Aid says Brown

[Dom Tuk]

Do you trust Grodon Brown to use all the money generated from his extra �5 levy on air passengers to be used to relive poverty in Africa. or is this another money making scam...a la road tax to be used to improve roads in the UK but then we also need a good NHS or lottery funds to be used for charitable puposes but then we need a good education. Also why this enforced charity. Why are we being forced to fork out even more......why dont they go after the British arms dealers who are casuing most of the mayhem in Africa.

[gastwo]

I'm with you on this one Dom. Why keep on pouring money and aid into Africa - why not go after the arms dealers, and the African leaders/politicians who milk it all off? I've worked in Africa, and seen it happen first hand - gifted vehicles and agricultural equipment impounded on the quayside, with local government officials demanding import duty from the charities that are providing the stuff for free. 24 red cross landrover ambulances just rotted away in Lagos. Provided by well meaning donations...

[Loosehead]

I totally agree Gastwo, I have enormous sympathy for the African poor but I never give because I don't want to finance the despots' luxury lives. They should do what you say, remove the scum at the top and help the people directly. I would then be more inclined to help.

To answer the question though, the �5 will go in the general pot of taxes with everything else. Very few taxes are ring fenced and I don't think this will be any different.

[mike1222]

Gordon Brown is a politician so there is no way that I would trust him or believe anything he said.  The levy would just get swallowed up in the bigger "pot"

Charitable donations should always be voluntary and optional in my opinion.