Foreign aid - No cuts. But a rise.

[garinda]

According to reports in the press Britain's total foreign aid budget will rise from 7 billion pounds to 11 billion pounds by 2015. Whilst at the same time at home, front-line public services are being drastically slashed.

Some countries, like Russia and China are deemed no longer poor enough to qualify for foreign aid money from Britain.

However countries like India, which funds a space programme, and Pakistan and Yemen, thought to be hotbeds of terorrist cells, will see their money from the UK increased.

Britain's foreign aid budget will increase by 4 billion pounds in the next four years.

Of course there's no way of knowing whether that is a wise use of money, as there's no way for us to check whether the money is being spent wisely, or being embezzled by dishonest officials, which we do know is the case with some financial aid sent to some African countries.

Britain cuts aid to China and Russia but we're still giving India £280m | Mail Online

Our foreign aid budget is one of the few areas protected from the savage cuts we're seeing. Unlike defence, education, the police, and cuts in jobs and services at local level, which are having to make drastic savings.

Whilst we know we have to face cuts at home, are we happy that our foreign aid budget to countries deemed less well off, are not only protected from cuts, but will have their budgets increased?

Personally I'm of the opinion that you get your own house in order, before offering to pay for your next door neighbour's new shed.

[gynn]

Originally Posted by garinda

Some countries, like Russia and China are deemed no longer poor enough to qualify for foreign aid money from Britain.

At what point will Britain be deemed to qualify for foreign aid money from Russia and China? Surely it should work both ways!

[garinda]

Originally Posted by gynn

At what point will Britain be deemed to qualify for foreign aid money from Russia and China? Surely it should work both ways!

We paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in 'foreign aid' to Saudi Arabia in 2008!

I think the government have sorely underestimated the public mood on this one.

Yes, we all know we have bitter medicine to swallow. If the economy is to recover.

It just seems very wrong that our foreign aid budget is protected from similar spending cuts we're having to endure at home, and instead is actually having it's budget massively increased.

[gynn]

The foreign aid budget should be fixed at a certain percentage of overall government spending. That way, if government spending goes down, it takes its fair share of the cuts.

We should only pay what we can afford to pay!

[Less]

It is strange isn't it? How long would it be before I was to end up in court if, instead of paying my taxes etc if I decided to give the money to a needy family either here or abroad?

I'm sure the Judge would righfully give me a darned good talking to about simple economics before passing sentence and slapping some order against any assets I may have.

Shouldn't this also apply to our Government? If we can no longer afford to fund the NHS and other services which surely is the primary duty of having a Government controlled by whichever political party, to ensure it's own citizens are protected against illness, disease & poverty before even one penny goes to other Countries, no matter how needy they may be.

[jaysay]

Well of course this must include all the money which nationals of say Pakistan receive in hand outs whilst living in this country, okay that's tongue in check, but what really amuses me more than anything is all these so called countries (India now has its own space program) who fought so hard to gain independence from Great Britain have never stopped returning every year with the begging bowl, I heard a bit about this on TV this morning and it appears that very few people pay tax in Pakistan, well they bloody well won't do if they keep getting funded by Britain. But to be fair I wouldn't have any problem what so ever with this if there wasn't so many of the nationals from these countries already living here and becoming entitled to the benefits other people work years to attain, but of course saying things like this automatically makes me a racist, well it does in the eyes of certain broad sheet newspapers

[Less]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Well of course this must include all the money which nationals of say Pakistan receive in hand outs whilst living in this country, okay that's tongue in check, but what really amuses me more than anything is all these so called countries (India now has its own space program) who fought so hard to gain independence from Great Britain have never stopped returning every year with the begging bowl, I heard a bit about this on TV this morning and it appears that very few people pay tax in Pakistan, well they bloody well won't do if they keep getting funded by Britain. But to be fair I wouldn't have any problem what so ever with this if there wasn't so many of the nationals from these countries already living here and becoming entitled to the benefits other people work years to attain, but of course saying things like this automatically makes me a racist, well it does in the eyes of certain broad sheet newspapers

As has been mentioned in another thread, India don't won't aid from us.

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/846600-post7.html

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Less

As has been mentioned in another thread, India don't won't aid from us.

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/846600-post7.html

Ya I saw that too, but they'll do as their told you'll have this aide or else

[Less]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Ya I saw that too, but they'll do as their told you'll have this aide or else

Or else, what?

[accyman]

i saw a list of countries that were going to be cut from the aid budget on the bbc website yesterday but i cant find it now.

i did notice that pakistan was missing from the list who have had way more than their fair share of aid from us and more.David cameron has borrowed money which he has given away to pakistan and india.What i dont get is why do we borrow but they get money given with no expectation of paying it back.

it just seems what cameron has done is no different than if i was to get a bank loan and give the money to charity instead of feeding my own family.It just seems stupid.

im sure previous government has borrowed and given the money away as well but this way of managing our money is even more unacceptable considering our own countries people are suffering major front line service cuts which could be funded by the billions that cameron has given away since coming into power.

screwing over our poor to fund another countries poor is wrong especialy when the other country has a space program and a nuclear ams program

[DaveinGermany]

Like many others I believe we shouldn't be giving the money away abroad when we have so many problems at home. Every time pressure is applied to the people of UK the argument of foreign aid is always questioned by the populace but defended by the Government.

even as recently as a couple of weeks ago on question time someone again raised the issue & the defending sycophants trotted put the same tired & mundane drivel about investing in another Countries infrastructure, economy & people to better their conditions enabling them to become a first world Nation like ours !! Oh really ? Obviously these imbeciles haven't really had a good look around the UK lately.

Sickening, immoral & wrong. The UK's leaders should crawl away in shame at the injustice they've heaped on the Country!

[Ken Moss]

Mr Cameron was crowing yesterday that investing in foreign countries brings billions in trade and while I can go some way to understanding his point I'm afraid the wider public simply see handouts. Any business will pitch itself to a market which will buy but at the moment it is all one-way traffic, money going out and not coming in because we have nothing to sell.

To me, further handouts is a mistake and a pretty simple one at that.

[Benipete]

Can you repeat that.Dave

[shillelagh]

Originally Posted by accyman

i saw a list of countries that were going to be cut from the aid budget on the bbc website yesterday but i cant find it now.

i did notice that pakistan was missing from the list who have had way more than their fair share of aid from us and more.David cameron has borrowed money which he has given away to pakistan and india.What i dont get is why do we borrow but they get money given with no expectation of paying it back.

it just seems what cameron has done is no different than if i was to get a bank loan and give the money to charity instead of feeding my own family.It just seems stupid.

im sure previous government has borrowed and given the money away as well but this way of managing our money is even more unacceptable considering our own countries people are suffering major front line service cuts which could be funded by the billions that cameron has given away since coming into power.

screwing over our poor to fund another countries poor is wrong especialy when the other country has a space program and a nuclear ams program

is this the list ....

BBC News - UK 'to end direct aid to 16 countries'

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by Benipete

Can you repeat that.Dave

I know reported myself to get it removed, damn great sossy fingers double tapping.