Cash strapped UK Charities and the Foreign Aid Budget

[Stayingup]

Just read a cross party letter, including others, asking for support for home Charities. They are doing some very good work, saving the NHS resources and the letter states that Voluntary Organisations are set to lose 4 billion over the next three months. Given this crisis situation surely its time to lobby MP's to raise the issue of diverting the Foreign Aid Budget (at least part of it) to our own organisations.

[Chester Perry]

Just read a cross party letter, including others, asking for support for home Charities. They are doing some very good work, saving the NHS resources and the letter states that Voluntary Organisations are set to lose 4 billion over the next three months. Given this crisis situation surely its time to lobby MP's to raise the issue of diverting the Foreign Aid Budget (at least part of it) to our own organisations.

No, the funding must come from elsewhere - it is a time (as it always is) to be selfless not selfish

[bobinho]

No, the funding must come from elsewhere - it is a time (as it always is) to be selfless not selfish

That’s all well and good, and without a doubt a wonderful outlook to be able to have.

May I ask from where you suggest the money comes from?

[Leisure]

That’s all well and good, and without a doubt a wonderful outlook to be able to have.

May I ask from where you suggest the money comes from?

Hi Bob - Us! Where else!

[bobinho]

Hi Pete, stay safe lad.

[Chester Perry]

That’s all well and good, and without a doubt a wonderful outlook to be able to have.

May I ask from where you suggest the money comes from?

as I understand it, our foreign aid budget is not a fixed amount, but a fixed percentage of GDP (enshrined in law) - it will no doubt have been significantly reduced by the current chaos, so that is where the money is coming from

[Stayingup]

No, the funding must come from elsewhere - it is a time (as it always is) to be selfless not selfish

Its a question of priorities in exceptional times. Perhaps your thinking of the magic money tree when you say money has to come from elsewhere.

[IanMcL]

This is the very time that the less fortunate (and I mean have nothing at all) need foreign aid more than ever.

Cannot quite get my head round the suggestion, especially after we all just happily dug deep for SportsAid.

[Stayingup]

as I understand it, our foreign aid budget is not a fixed amount, but a fixed percentage of GDP (enshrined in law) - it will no doubt have been significantly reduced by the current chaos, so that is where the money is coming from

You are right it is a fixed %age of GDP. In fact its 0.7% if I recall. It never should have been enshirned into law in my opinion but was a vanity project (as is the wasteful HS2) by one of the worst Prime Ministers of modern times. And oh boy there a good number of candidates for that.

[bobinho]

I meant instead.

Do you want the “contribution” to maintain the levels it was at before our current crisis? If so as your post suggested, it is this money I meant...

[Stayingup]

This is the very time that the less fortunate (and I mean have nothing at all) need foreign aid more than ever.

Cannot quite get my head round the suggestion, especially after we all just happily dug deep for SportsAid.

Ian. I said not all foreign aid but some in this unique time of crisis could be diverted to OUR Charities to help our people. Mind you; you and I differ greatly in our views but I respect what you say.

[Burnley Ace]

Take some of the millions that animal charities have and use it for humans.

[ŽižkovClaret]

Tax religious institutions

[Stanbill05]

Foreign Aid budget is categorically for our benefit and not the recipients. Take it away and you will potentially worsen the migrant/ISIS crisis and lose any influence. Difficult to measure the value for money or effectiveness of soft power but to remove it or reduce it to be meaningless comes with risks that could end up being far more expensive.

[Stayingup]

Foreign Aid budget is categorically for our benefit and not the recipients. Take it away and you will potentially worsen the migrant/ISIS crisis and lose any influence. Difficult to measure the value for money or effectiveness of soft power but to remove it or reduce it to be meaningless comes with risks that could end up being far more expensive.

I see your point. It used to be like that - for our benefit to promote UK industry - when it was administered on a case by case basis in addition to being used for humanitarian causes. I know because I sold British Engineering equipment overseas on ATP at one point, to promote British business Now its different and come the end of the period of 12 months the Department for International Development is searching for suitable recipients. We even send to China which is really ludicrous. Another thing it isn't necessarily used to promote British business being sent to some places that don't buy British.

[ŽižkovClaret]

As a country we acted like shits for centuries. Im fine with us chucking a little guilt money at the world.