The Global Poverty Promise campaign today asks people to support a new law that would commit the UK to spend 0.7% of national income on development assistance.
Davina McCall, Mariella Frostrup, Annie Lennox, Richard Wilson and Meera Syal were among the big names launching a new poverty campaign today, the fifth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s Make Poverty History speech in Trafalgar Square.
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In a campaign video released today – shown for the first time at the Labour Campaign for International Development’s launch on Monday – people are invited to show their support for a new law that would commit the UK to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on development assistance. People can do this by signing up to the Global Poverty Promise. The video (see right) highlights just how small 0.7 per cent is – yet how much of a difference it will make to lives in the developing world. Mariella Frostrup said: |
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“Forty years ago the UK made a promise to the world’s poor – to spend just 0.7 per cent of our national income on helping poor countries develop. We now have a chance to make that promise a reality, not just for today but for future generations.
“GlobalPovertyPromise.com is our opportunity to show that we keep our promises, even during difficult times. Whether it’s helping Haiti through a disaster or participating in the long term development of Africa the British public has a proud tradition of looking out for those less fortunate, let’s keep it up.”
Five years ago Nelson Mandela’s speech in London ahead of the Gleneagles summit launched the Make Poverty History campaign; today the Department for International Development is publishing an update of the progress the UK has made against the targets set.
Labour has tripled the UK’s aid budget and is committed to spending 0.7% of the UK’s Gross National Income on aid from 2013, with the Overseas Development Bill which was introduced to Parliament last month, while the Conservatives have refused to say they would introduce such a law.
Aid groups are concerned that Tory plans for international development could mean large sums will be diverted from tackling poverty.
• Sign up to the Gobal Poverty Promise and show your support.
30 Responses to “Campaign launched to commit UK to spending 0.7% of income on development aid”
Anon E Mouse
Liz – The general point I make and the one you seem unwilling to answer, is that the nasty party is now Labour and not the Tories and you brought this up not me!
The Tories were over a decade ago – old story.
Labour do not help the weak and needy – 10p tax removal – nasty.
Labour try to take compensation from our injured soldiers – nasty.
Labour remove the funding to properly equip our soldiers – nasty.
Labour arrest 86 year old Walter Wolfgang under the Terrorism Act – nasty.
I could go on and list dozens of similar “nasty” actions by this party even without mentioning the gap between the rich and poor increasing or telling lies about overseas wars.
I have no particular obsession with that useless bully Gordon Brown or the way he treats people in his own party (Peter Watt, Tony Blair, David Miliband etc) I just think that if more people like me were listened to and less unacceptable behaviour was accepted we could put a case to the British people for re-election.
By ignoring (so far you haven’t even given your opinion on any of my points eg Camerons son Ivan, 10p tax, Gurkha’s)the way Brown and his cohorts behave, what you are doing Liz is telling the party leadership that it is OK to continue like that.
Well it isn’t OK Liz and should have been stopped by having a general election after Brown forced Blair out. His behaviour was underhand and despicable then and Labour will pay for it at the polls.
The more you ignore the truth and Labour’s actions speak louder than words, the more Labour will deserve the whacking the election will deliver… Brown can’t dither and hide forever…
Anon E Mouse
Liz – “Masterful handling of the economy”…
Labour is doooooomed…
Liz McShane
Anon – given that this recession was much worse than ones in the 80s and 90s and was more difficult to navigate given the global nature of business & high finance these days, it is quite an achievement that we have had less unemployment, fewer house repossessions and small business closures – that is quite an important fact and one that you seem happy to ignore!
Anon E Mouse
Liz – No other developed country on the planet is in the debt we’re in yet have you forgot Brown said we were “best placed to lead the world into recovery”.
Running a small business myself I understand more than most the mess we’re in.
Still waiting to hear you justify Gurkha’s, 10p tax and the like – just want to see if you think those actions aren’t “nasty” ; – )
Anon E Mouse
Liz – Last comment on this. Just heard on R5 Live that personal and businesses going under are at an all time record high for the last quarter.
Still want to describe Browns handling of the economy as masterful?