Foreign aid often causes my hackles to rise, mostly because it's misplaced, used unwisely, lines the pockets of foreign dictators or is given to countries that clearly don't need it (India and Pakistan). Currently the aid budget stands at £12 billion and is as ever defended by our politicians including David cameron.
Daily Mail.
David Cameron will today admit that millions of pounds of foreign aid has been ‘wasted’, but insist this is not a reason to turn off the tap.
The Prime Minister, on a curtailed tour of Africa, will hit out at those in his own party who criticise his decision to pour billions more into foreign aid at a time of cutbacks at home.
In a speech in Lagos, Nigeria, he will declare: ‘The aid sceptics are wrong. Aid is essential. It can work and we are making it work.’
In this of course he is wrong, it's not essential at all, desirable in some cases perhaps, but not essential particularly when we have enough problems at home. As far as I can see, most politicians don't really understand the issues here as they seem to have no problems at all in
signing away taxpayers money to all and sundry.
Charity or aid, whatever they want to call it, should begin at home or be used to cut our mountain of debt down. Yes I know it's not enough to make a huge bite into what we owe due to the previous and current governments ruinous spending programs but every little helps and giving it away to foreign governments is not helping.
Why our MP's choose to do this I simply do not know, it's like their common sense is amputated by the electoral process and they go on to be loyal little lobby fodder to the leadership rather than representing those who elected them.
I'm not in favour of banning things in general, but I'd make an exception for political parties they seem far too free with public money. Perhaps individuals voted in on their own policies is the way to go in the future with alliances made for issues rather by party political consensus.
Would certainly make the buggers work for the people once more.
4 annotations:
The trouble is that the others are likely to be worse.
I've believed ever since I got the vote that the majority of people don't vote for a party, but for the lesser of the various evils.
I am now refusing to give to any charities working outside Britain on the grounds that the government is giving aid on my behalf, and they should approach the government for a donation.
Can't vote for any of them. Solution - vote independent.
You'll appreciate what Thomas Payne had to say in 1777:
"There is a bastard kind of generosity, which, by being extended to all men, is as fatal to society, on one had, as the want of true generosity is on the other. A lax manner of administering justice, falsely termed moderation, has a tendency both to dispirit public virtue, and promote the growth of public evils."
Very good quote Col.
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