Why are we "Ring Fencing" Foreign Aid?

[anonymous-user]

Digga said:

Were I ever confronted with that attitude, my stance would be to ask the individual to consider just how many average way taxpayer's PAYE contributions that represents. Compared on that basis, I;d defy anyone to be quite so cavalier about the sum.

Well the average taxpayer pays 3.5k in income tax so 70m is the income tax of 20,000 people! But sure let's give it to China it's only 70m. Ffs.

[Unknown_User]

Pan Pan Pan said:

So you believe that China is less fortunate and wealthier than the UK?
What a strange person you are, do you live in box closed off from the rest of the world?
Don't you think if China can, and does care about its people it would do something about them. If it does not, it would not be a matter of it being less fortunate, but a political decision, and that is a whole other ball game.
When can I expect your cheque, surely with only five and half million quid to my name, you can see that I really need the cash?.

Wowsers!

Once again I will bow out of this exchange with you due to your rather curious interpretation of the written word. As evidenced in your discussions about support for the Nazi Party.

[chemistry]

JPvanRossem said:

Pan Pan Pan said:

I don't disagree, but would question whether that is even possible ]

Have you tried looking on the internet?
https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/location/country

Thanks for this - I had a look at the China page and flicking through the projects, a large number look like a complete waste of money to me...half a million quid on this, for example: "Supporting Human Rights, Democracy and the Rules based International System in China".

Does anyone really believe that half a million quid is going to make China go all mushy on the Uighur Muslims, abandon the CCP in favour of democracy, stamp out IP theft, etc.? If so, please tell me who these people are, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell them.

China won't let us influence them one jot. Their Government is plenty wealthy enough to fund their own programmes to help the poor, disadvantaged, etc. - they just choose not to. Aid to them is a waste and they are taking us for fools.

[Digga]

fblm said:

Digga said:

Were I ever confronted with that attitude, my stance would be to ask the individual to consider just how many average way taxpayer's PAYE contributions that represents. Compared on that basis, I;d defy anyone to be quite so cavalier about the sum.

Well the average taxpayer pays 3.5k in income tax so 70m is the income tax of 20,000 people! But sure let's give it to China it's only 70m. Ffs.

Given the choice, most people would, I believe, happily pay the same tax but see it spent on something worthy in the UK, like shelters for the homeless, as an example.

[Legacywr]

JPvanRossem said:

Pan Pan Pan said:

I don't disagree, but would question whether that is even possible ]

Have you tried looking on the internet?
https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/location/country

Surely, that only tells you where the money goes, not what they do with it?

[PRTVR]

JPvanRossem said:

Legacywr said:

JPvanRossem said:

Pan Pan Pan said:

I don't disagree, but would question whether that is even possible ]

Have you tried looking on the internet?
https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/location/country

Surely, that only tells you where the money goes, not what they do with it?

Go to the Active Projects tab and it lists all the current grants globally, their scope and value and objectives. You can also filter by implementing organisation, so you can see exactly which NGO (or whatever) has been awarded the project. Each NGO will explain on their own website what they are doing in each country and with whose money. Really, it's all there. The tenders for each grant are freely available online as per any government procurement.

But it still doesn't get away from the fact we don't have the money and we are just borrowing it, imagine walking past a begger and saying
"you know what I haven’t any money but I will just go to the bank and borrow some and give it to them"
Total madness........

[NMNeil]

JPvanRossem said:

I was just pointing out that if someone wishes to know how the money is spent, that information is freely available.

But do the taxpayers have the opportunity to say to the powers that be, "I don't want MY money being sent abroad, I want it spent here at home where it's needed more"?

[superlightr]

JPvanRossem said:

PRTVR said:

But it still doesn't get away from the fact we don't have the money and we are just borrowing it, imagine walking past a begger and saying
"you know what I haven’t any money but I will just go to the bank and borrow some and give it to them"
Total madness........

I was just pointing out that if someone wishes to know how the money is spent, that information is freely available.

Mexico Mental heath?

[markcoznottz]

Apparently there was a report earlier this year that said a sixth of the money ended up in Swiss bank accounts?

[PRTVR]

markcoznottz said:

Apparently there was a report earlier this year that said a sixth of the money ended up in Swiss bank accounts?

The call, " will nobody think of the poor Swiss bankers " doesn't have the same pull on the heart strings.

[Unknown_User]

markcoznottz said:

Apparently there was a report earlier this year that said a sixth of the money ended up in Swiss bank accounts?

I would be very interested in that 'report', could you provide a link please?

[markcoznottz]

Unknown_User said:

markcoznottz said:

Apparently there was a report earlier this year that said a sixth of the money ended up in Swiss bank accounts?

I would be very interested in that 'report', could you provide a link please?

Tim Stanley writing for the telegraph. He doesn’t give any details about the study, it’s paywalled anyway.


‘The classic objection to Britain’s 0.7 per cent foreign aid commitment, enshrined in law since 2015, is that the cash is wasted, and a study from earlier this year followed aid payments to 22 countries and found that as much as a sixth of it ended up in tax havens like Switzerland....’

[Digga]

Unknown_User said:

markcoznottz said:

Apparently there was a report earlier this year that said a sixth of the money ended up in Swiss bank accounts?

I would be very interested in that 'report', could you provide a link please?

Is your Google broken again?

Too much 'internet' already today?

[Unknown_User]

Digga said:

Unknown_User said:

markcoznottz said:

Apparently there was a report earlier this year that said a sixth of the money ended up in Swiss bank accounts?

I would be very interested in that 'report', could you provide a link please?

Is your Google broken again?

Too much 'internet' already today?

Thank you for your insightful and considered contribution, did you get your mum to help you?

[Unknown_User]

markcoznottz said:

Unknown_User said:

markcoznottz said:

Apparently there was a report earlier this year that said a sixth of the money ended up in Swiss bank accounts?

I would be very interested in that 'report', could you provide a link please?

Tim Stanley writing for the telegraph. He doesn’t give any details about the study, it’s paywalled anyway.


‘The classic objection to Britain’s 0.7 per cent foreign aid commitment, enshrined in law since 2015, is that the cash is wasted, and a study from earlier this year followed aid payments to 22 countries and found that as much as a sixth of it ended up in tax havens like Switzerland....’

With the renowned secrecy surrounding Swiss banking, Mr Stanley must have some very valued and high powered 'sources'!!!!!

[Murph7355]

Unknown_User said:

With the renowned secrecy surrounding Swiss banking, Mr Stanley must have some very valued and high powered 'sources'!!!!!

Maybe he actually engaged in journalism once Twitter ran out of soundbites?

[Unknown_User]

Murph7355 said:

Unknown_User said:

With the renowned secrecy surrounding Swiss banking, Mr Stanley must have some very valued and high powered 'sources'!!!!!

Maybe he actually engaged in journalism once Twitter ran out of soundbites?

Then he will be able to back his ludicrous claim up with facts.....

[Murph7355]

Unknown_User said:

Murph7355 said:

Unknown_User said:

With the renowned secrecy surrounding Swiss banking, Mr Stanley must have some very valued and high powered 'sources'!!!!!

Maybe he actually engaged in journalism once Twitter ran out of soundbites?

Then he will be able to back his ludicrous claim up with facts.....

Go have a look. Maybe we have another Carole Cadwalladr on our hands...maybe we don't.

[anonymous-user]

Unknown_User said:

markcoznottz said:

Unknown_User said:

markcoznottz said:

Apparently there was a report earlier this year that said a sixth of the money ended up in Swiss bank accounts?

I would be very interested in that 'report', could you provide a link please?

Tim Stanley writing for the telegraph. He doesn’t give any details about the study, it’s paywalled anyway.


‘The classic objection to Britain’s 0.7 per cent foreign aid commitment, enshrined in law since 2015, is that the cash is wasted, and a study from earlier this year followed aid payments to 22 countries and found that as much as a sixth of it ended up in tax havens like Switzerland....’

With the renowned secrecy surrounding Swiss banking, Mr Stanley must have some very valued and high powered 'sources'!!!!!

Do you live under a rock? Swiss bank accounts aren't secret any more!

[Murph7355]

fblm said:

Do you live under a rock? ...

Nope, he just hurls them.

Then disappears for a bit to restock.