General Chat

That's just not true, George.

Various newspapers and the BBC had to make grovelling apologies when they made that implication.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bbc-apologises-over-live-aid-money-reports-2124576.html

I recall Bob EGO TRIP Geldof raised a minimum of 65 million for Ethiopia, they are no further forward today as they were then.
It is also disputed who actually got the money, most of it seems to have gone to the warlords.

So i dont agree that my taxes should be spent on overseas aid, nobody asked me.

George

Show them how to help themselvs, how to grow more food and how to lay on water to the villages. Do not give them money, it never gets to the people who need it.
Been there done it.

Living hand to mouth perhaps in a war zone, where the crops that do grow are dependent on rain that doesn't come...where you can't walk to the tap or even the water butt and turn it on and get fresh water to drink, to wash, to cook with.

Or where women get pregnant every year because it is a male dominated society and the wife's 'duty' ( look back to Victorian times here in our own families when the wife was a chattel and had no rights)...and when in any case the child mortality rate was so high that having more children meant there was just an outside chance you might be looked after in your old age.

Would you rather swap? or just thank your lucky stars you were born here not there?

If my taxes go towards feeding a straving child over seas I am actually proud to help

I remember as a child of about 4 years belonging to a club to which we gave a s much as we could to help people abroad. 61 years later they are still in the same situation - WHY? They need educating in contraception, how to help themselves a bit more and stop relying on handouts. Like some on here I am sick of my money being given abroad.

I have to agree with Merlin. Help the poor overseas to help themselves, and encourage independance.
And for heavens sake, control immigration!

I think its time that we only gave what we as a Country can afford at this moment in time.Why should we Borrow and pay interest on money which our Childrens Children will have to pay back to International Bankers.The trouble with some recipients is they come to rely on these handouts and as such make little or no effort to help themselves,(The attitude being Oh well Other Countries will Bail us out) As far as I,m concerned we should Provide them with the tools required to let them provide for themselves,so they can become Independant and need no longer rely on others. **M**.

I wouldnt mind my money going to the people who need it but unfortunatly most of it goes to the fat cats in their governments not the needy who really need it. :-( :-(

THIS IS NOT JUST WHITE PEOPLE HERE

eh?

I am not a sheep either, I knew exactly why I voted Conservative.

No comment from me on the subject until I have done a little research.

Sue

We take a lot from these poor countries. And what we give is a pittance.

When we discused this 5 months ago, I remember general consensus was that the wealthiest countries should do what they can to help, yet India aid was raised because they were spending a fortune on weapons to protect their borders.

Now we are about to stop aid to India, apparently. There is still huge poverty there, but they must feel more confident they can manage their own problems without so much aid.

I think there will always need to be a discussion whether aid is being targetted to the right people and the right projects. But I doubt any European political party who put in their manifesto that they would reduce or cancel any foreign aid would get elected. It would seem extremely heartless at a time when the world is so inter-dependant.

Here here Guinevere well said I couldnt agree more :-D

I was a teacher, Robert, no need to find another one to talk to. I am a pensioner so no need to find another one of those either. I know people who are out of work and looking for work - but they get benefits and they don't starve - neither do they have to walk five miles a day to get water.

You make my point for me - here children living in families with low income get free school meals. They don't starve. In many countries overseas they do starve and more would starve if the affluent west didn't send aid.

What you are describing is very sad - but it is not the abject poverty seen in the third world.

I repeat what I said before, no one in the UK lives in the sort of conditions lived in by some people overseas and I think it's our duty to send them money.

They are my problem (but not yours, you say) because I'm a human being and so are they and they are suffering.

Gwynne

Irony...don't you just love it ;-)

I agree with the points Gwynn has made.

There were/are measures even cuts, that can be made here without leaving people in the dire straits they are in, worrying themselves sick as to how they are going to manage now, and even more so in the future,

Edited, because I am still surprisingly political in my old age lol.... but....

I'm thinking it !

;-)

Sorry DopeyDoc but I lost interest in the OP after the sentence " I read in the sun" :-0

Tell me guinevere why should problems in other countries become my problem, year after year, we have provide money to these countries, and year after year they come back for more

I suggest you talk to school teacher and they will tell you how many kids go with out meals. go and talk to pensioners on just a state pension and choice they have pay there bills or go with out food

talk to the people who have lost there jobs and are waiting for the balifts to evict them from there homes

goe and talk to unemployed who cant get work

we work for the benefit of our families and this country. there were 1000s in this country who went with out a xmas this year while MEPs drunk wine at £120 a bottle payed for with our taxes and our mps got fat on there xmas turkey pay for by us

Did we recently stop sending aid to India?

i totaly agree with you. but the problem in this country far to many people are like sheep in this country and will continue to vote for the same old parties like they did before, and they dont have a clue what they are voting for

I don't agree.

No one in this country is subjected to the degree of poverty some people overseas have to endure on a daily basis.

Everyone in this country has access to clean water. Everyone has access to health professionals. Babies don't starve to death in the UK in their hundreds.

In the UK girls and boys can get an education without having to pay for it.

I think we needs to look at how the money is spent but the money sent overseas is a drop in the ocean of government funding.

I think we should send more not less. And look very carefully at how we spend it here.

Gwynne

Who does David Cameron think he is ?
In the SUN NEWSPAPER on sat he says, he is going to carry on sending billions abroard, , THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY afraid to put their heating on, sleeping rough ( yes, some by choice, MANY NOT ), THIS IS NOT JUST WHITE PEOPLE HERE !,
We were not all born with a silver spoon in our mouths like him.
We work for a living and we cannot claim exspences for houses, travel , etc, like all these MPs.

IF WE CAN AFFORD TO GIVE AND WANT TO GIVE, GIVE US BACK OUR MONEY AND LET US DECIDE !

Do you agree, or am I beeing a moaner ?

I will not vote conservative again !