Forum Topic

Dennis,we are the laughing stock of the WORLD,should it be cut,NO,STOPPED ,YES,YES,YES,Regards John.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3390d0 Comments

There has been false news on-line, think papers only tell half the story.

Janice Evans ● 3372d

Dennis, are you intending setting yourself up as some kind of one-man gatekeeper?  You need to read further than the headlines of some newspapers which are written to deliberately only tell part of a story and stir up people's feelings.

Philippa Bond ● 3372d

STILL WELL SAID DENNIS,JOHN.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3372d

It's not well said at all, it's the usual xenophobic intolerant stirrings we've all come to expect on here. I'd like to deport some people on here to Trumps America where'd they'd be really happy, goodbye!

Gary Sinclair ● 3377d

Well said,Dennis,regards John.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3384d

Where did that ridiculous statement come from ??? Who ever said that ?? There are two points here 1) Foreign Aid should be suspended whilst we have problems with social care , food banks etc. 2 ) If we do give foreign aid spend it wisely not the ridiculous unaccountable way it is being currently spent !

Dennis Brogan ● 3384d

It's interesting the number of people who think they did something clever by being born in a free, democratic, prosperous and safe country; while the people who chose to be born in war-torn and famine-stricken areas are clearly idiots.

Susan Kelly ● 3386d

Clearly Dr John you are of the belief that you are not a citizen of the world, but a citizen of a small island floating somewhere in the north half of it. That's fine but everytime you use a piece of technology developed in another country, everytime your NHS uses a medicine developed in another country, every time an ambulance drives to save someone using the mineral resources drawn from the depths of another country, everytime you enjoy a piece of music, art, film, televsision created in another country, everytime you eat a food sent to us from another country......why not pause for a second and think perhaps I do benefit from a world view not a parochial view. Yours. Charlie Mawer. MA Hons (Oxon)

Charlie Mawer ● 3386d

Correct me if I'm wrong, I know you will, but because of strong concerns here about the amount of people coming to this Country more aid funding was given to help them stay in their own Country in a safe environment, it probably won't stay at that amount.  Those women and children need help and I am in great favour of that, there are young children being raped and think if the aid was cut too much these people would never get the help they need.

Janice Evans ● 3386d

Come on lets cut to the chase here,Dennis's question was? should we cut the overseas aid budget?For me the answer is yes,our Police,Fire,and Ambulance services,forces,and Hospitals many other services are cut to the bone!!I here our do gooders shouting,we over time have helped all of these people who helps us no one,our  pensioners  need help,we hear our Council tax is going to rise?so lets cut this stupid budget now and give it to the NHS or invest it into this country,we have great problems here,not being addressed.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3386d

Perhaps not Branson. I think you need to read more about how corporate welfare works Dennis, you'd be surprised just how much money 'business-people' like Branson cream from the taxpayer. A good example would be the £13 he took from your very own pocket (and everyone elses) back in 2011 when he bought Northern Rock from the Govt. The state (that's effectively you and me and all the other taxpayers) had to keep the liabilities of NR while Branson got the assets. A massive PFI scam/scheme. You personally lost £13 from that deal. Next time you're on Branson's private island, perhaps you could ask him to give it you back.Privatize the profits, socialize the risks...that's the ethos of modern robber-barons like Branson.

Joseph Jones ● 3386d

Charlie did yu hear the ghastly Chris Grayling on BBCQT quoting - with no irony and no qualification the £5 million going to a Spice girls like group - when of course it should be going to British grannies on trollies, you would be spitting as much as I was.

Sara Nathan ● 3386d

I would be happy if the foreign aid budget was cut to £6 billion if someone like Richard Branson was in control , instead of clueless bureaucrats handing our money around like confetti . Please look at their projects (£442,000 on interior designers for our Indian foreign aid office , who have said they don't want our aid £520,000 bus stops etc etc) If half of our money was spent by business people  , Africa , for example with our aid , their natural resources , investment potential would be a completely different place

Dennis Brogan ● 3386d

Well Richard I am so pleased that this has been a priority as this kind of thing really plays on my mind, anything to help those women and children is money well spent. thank you.

Janice Evans ● 3387d

Janice - that is a really good question.The answer is that Britain (through the aid budget) - is heavily involved in tackling sexual violence.Tacking sexual violence in conflict has been a major priority of the UK for a long time - and there is international recognition of the important role Britain has played in this. It is frustrating that this never gets reported. But the UK is doing good work.

Richard Grange ● 3387d

Really think it would help if we were made aware of what the foreign aid was used for, I know some businesses were set up abroad to help employment and bring some wealth to the country which is very constructive.  But how is it helping these poor women and children who are being sexually abused by soldiers etc., in some of the war areas, how are we helping to stop this suffering.

Janice Evans ● 3387d

Quite naive. Foreign aid is little more than a bung that greases the wheels of big business. If we want to continue selling services and weapons to developing nations then the giving of trinkets will continue - especially now we've alienated our largest trading partner in the EU.

James Moore ● 3387d

how right, you mean from a nuclear war...least we know where you're priorities lie

Gary Sinclair ● 3387d

To Dennis and John. I'm sure you have heard of the issue of fake news. What you are reorting at the top of this article is a classic example of how this works. Dennis you read a headline in the Daily Mail, "9 million to Ethiopian Spice Girls"  and report it as fact without stopping for a moment to consider whether their clear agenda has in fact distorted every fact around the story. I know personally one of the leaders of the Girl Effect project in Ethiopia, which is making huge strides in every area of education, halting female genital mutilation, child brides, tackling cervical cancer... I could go on and on. The means to spread that education programme involves popular culture as a way of reaching remote villages where pop radio and magazines are often the only "media" to reach the young kids, in particular away from their parents eyes (who might in themselves be the problem.) The UK aid money supports a vast campaign of which the "pop group" is one element. But none of the above works in a Daily Mail headline because they believe in spreading simplistic click bait so that people like yourselves will spread it on forums like this. Answer: do your own research, realise nothing is as simple or as black and white as a tabloid rag is headlining, and ideally never read the Daily Mail. #stopfundinghate

Charlie Mawer ● 3387d

We won't be able to help anyone if were all dead!

Janice Evans ● 3387d

Janice yes , so please don't make any presumptions, I believe in the NHS but life is about choices and priorities. some would rather cut our foreign aid budget which does a lot of good and meets our international obligations, something we can truly be proud of,  but not touching our military expenditure, which is one of the worlds highest, because of some over inflated view of our own self importance belies people's priorities.  The international aid budget is just a fraction of the military budget so leave well alone please.

Gary Sinclair ● 3387d

Have any of you lost a loved one because of the failing NHS or doesn't that matter anymore

Janice Evans ● 3388d

Totally agree

Gary Sinclair ● 3388d

Completely agree with Tony, why the need to put Dr and degree qualificationSinclair , MA

Gary Sinclair ● 3388d

For those rushing to cut the aid budget its perhaps worth pointing out some of the things that get forgottenUK Aid helps fund major emergency responses - such as during the Nepal earthquake or the current crisis in Yemen.It helps fund healthcare to protect populations from infectious disease like Ebola.Since 2011 it has helped 5 million girls get an education.Since 2011 it has also funded nurses and midwives to be present 5.1 million births.I could go on.You can choose to cut it - but real people will be affected. (Declaration of interest - I work for international development charity ActionAid)

Richard Grange ● 3388d

I'm sure you'll be lobbying the Conservative Govt. to give an extra £350 million a week (£18.2 billion per annum) to the NHS once they invoke Article 50 and leave the European Union...That's what the Leave campaign promised wasn't it?

Joseph Jones ● 3389d

How can you say all this and call other people nasty, its a Forum!!!!!  and I'm not against foreign aid at all.

Janice Evans ● 3389d

I know yours was also John., sorry to confuse things.

Janice Evans ● 3389d

My reply was to Tony.

Janice Evans ● 3389d

Lol, I never wanted to hear of another war when starting out in life, very depressing and I only help them for 18 months which was too long.  but on the brighter side what seems fruitless to some now actually pays off in the end.  If their predictions continue to be correct that is. 

Janice Evans ● 3389d

Tony,There is a freedom of speech and press in this Democratic country,its only those who  are losing start to get personal,both Dennis and I,are entitled to an opinion so are you with the exception of personal unwarranted remarks!!!!!

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3389d

This is like one of those spoof articles on The Daily Mash, or Viz for that matter. The ignorant leading the blind in unintentional humour.  Who TF  registers himself as DR AND adds his BSC at the end. Brogan is of course the chief of unintentional mirth although some of what he says is just down right nasty and Janice, oh deary me. http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/we-need-to-look-after-our-own-first-say-people-who-would-never-help-anyone-20150907101741

Tony Mansell ● 3389d

There will be another war it's written in the Bible according to a religious group I was helping out years ago, they said the European Unuin was also predicted (this was before it happen) so they must be correct, also the war would include a Country (who are rapidly expanding their army) right now so all looks to be happening.  We do need to protect ourselves and we also need the NHS.....

Janice Evans ● 3389d

Our forces have been cut to the bone,we could not fight our way out of a paper bag!!!The biggest army here now is the Salvation Army,get real we need to  protect ourselves,forget protecting others,cut the budgets for aid they are misused anyway,think of our NHS and our pensioners and our country first.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3389d

Yes Chris agree, let's cut trident or our armed services , we have the worlds third or fourth highest military expenditure. Let's keep the foreign aid budget and ensure it's spent to good effect, it's nothing compared to military expenditure, funny though how Denis targets foreign aid, I guess the clues in the title, foreign.

Gary Sinclair ● 3389d

Its very closely monitored by Dfid. No, all we need to do is find some more money for the NHS - funny how there is always money for war, or for Trident, but never any for essential services,particularly social care or mental health services which have both been cut to shreds. I'm sure most people would be willing to pay a little extra tax in return for a return to good public services.

Chris Hurley ● 3390d

Sounds sensible if the funds were used on NHS, do agree with foriegn aid if people here are not suffering for it, do we know where the cash goes and does it get to the people we want to help?

Janice Evans ● 3390d

Sounds sensible if the funds would be used on NHS, do agree in foreign aid but of course only if people here are not suffering for it, do we know where that money goes? Does it get to the people we want to help.

Janice Evans ● 3390d

Dennis,we are the laughing stock of the WORLD,should it be cut,NO,STOPPED ,YES,YES,YES,Regards John.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3390d