divert foreign aid to flood-hit British families

With this weather, I wish I'd emigrated.

Not to the US, though, Galen.

No, the med somewhere.

188,00 have signed so far. I stand by what I have said, if people don't live in this country and the floods don't affect them how can they comment.

I was asking about the people on this blog, not DM readers, Ninny.
How have the floods affected you, Ninny?
Are Americans not allowed to comment? We usually get the weather after them. What about Danish people? The storms go over there after they have been here.

Whoa! ninny - I live in France. I have not commented on this thread so far so you have absolutely no idea what I think, but your broadside to people living in France and other countries is breathtaking in it's rudeness.

This is blatantly ridiculous! Do ypu have to be knee deep in sewage to be entitled to comment? Come off it!! How deep are the floods where you live ninny? Narrows it down a bit - come in feetlebaum we need your expert opinion

ninny I cannot use the NHS, I shall shortly not be allowed to vote in UK elections and my pension is frozen at the 2013 rate until I die when it ceases, but I do pay income tax in the UK. I have, therefore, a vested interest in how the UK Government spends its revenue. Also, there is no rule on Gransnet about who may or may not post on any particular topic. I think your comment about me was based on an inaccurate premise as well as being discourteous.

I know this has been said before on this thread but feel it needs repeating

There will be a contingency fund for the flood type of disaster in this country. It's therefore ridiculous to suggest we cut our international aid budget. We don't need to take money from starving children in poverty stricken countries to ensure people here are ok.

The floods are dreadful, I'm in no way minimising the impact on those affected.

Ninny - your comments about people who claim benefits are very unpleasant. I was offended by your sweeping statement that an increase in taxes would be popular with 'those on benefits, who don't pay taxes, but expect everything in return' . As has been said, so often on this kind of discussion thread, the majority of people subsisting on benefits have worked at some time, and will work again. They are tax payers. Very few people have never worked. Some of them will be scroungers, like the very wealthy tax avoiders. The vast majority of them will have multiple reasons for being unable to work/find work.
I find the 'us and them' approach very dispiriting.

While I have every sympathy for everyone suffering from the flooding, I certainly don't think we should re-direct funding from overseas. I saw a man on television yesterday complaining because no-one had come around with wellingtons! I often think we are all guilty of expecting the mysterious "They" to save us from thinking at all, or being responsible for ourselves. That said, people are really suffering from the floods and there can be few things worse than seeing the water coming up and into your loved home. But the politicians aren't in charge of the weather, and this spell has been exceptional.

Good post dahlia.

We are a wealthy country according to Eric Pickles (although i thought we were in debt) But we are wealthy compared to many countries around the world so need not debate about taking money from the poor. We should be able to look after our own disasters and someone posted above that there would be help from the EU if needed.

As for providing wellingtons! I thought everyone had a pair or two, but perhaps not. Someone will soon fill the gap in the market I'm sure, who is more enterprising than the man who was asking for them.

If there was a bit more common sense, evidence and science applied to the problem of flooding, we wouldn't be having this argument anyway.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/13/flooding-public-spending-britain-europe-policies-homes

Actually I don't have any wellies. I can't find a pair that go over my misshapen ankle!
The only boots I've been able to get were an expensive pair oh hotter lace up boots!

Galoshes? Or those waders that go over your shoes?. Are you flooded Galen, hope you're OK

I'm 360ft above sea level, so if I'm flooded! Heaven help everyone else.
No my remark was in answer to the remark that everyone had pair or two!
If there is more than one raindrop per hour, I don't venture out unless I'm working!

Oh OK! Glad you're high up and safe and don't need wellies.

Neil Sedaka singing "I feel laughter in the rain" at the moment!

Feels more like
Step along, step along, let us foot it out together
Step along step along, through fair or stormy weather
With the purple of the hills and the blooming of the heather
Let us sing in happy chorus
Step along step along

Where did that spring from in my brain?

No idea. Do you do American square dancing or anything similar?

ww.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/world-top-ten-doners-of-foreigner-aid-map.html

www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/countries-most-in-debt-map.html

Seems madness to me we send 12billion overseas and have to borrow to pay for it. I never voted for this but perhaps some of you did! If we didn't send so much money overseas we could afford to pay our pensioners a good state pension, not cut the welfare budget by so much, improve our hospitals, help our own young people get a better start in life. What's wrong with looking after your own people first, I am not against helping and sending aid to disaster zones, I would be heartless if that was the case. I think a lot of Gransnetter's agree but are afraid to post because of the backlash you receive on here if you go against the few outspoken posters.

Absent and gransnetters in France I am sorry if I offended you (I apologise) but that's my opinion and like you I can have an opinion also.

I have not been flooded but I know people who have.

I have a friend in Wraysbury.

Although her house was not flooded when we spoke a few days ago, her garden is under eight feet of water.

Wellingtons won't cut it.

Blimey ninny the overseas budget is going to have to stretch some to deal with that list!
Listen to "call me Dave" though - "loads of money" He also went on to say that we are a rich Nation - so we have no problem really have we?

Ninny - I would not describe this discussion as a "backlash" in response to your post. People are just expressing a different opinion, whilst listening to yours. That is fine.

The wellintons were discussed because someone reported that some man was expecting the authorities to be providing them

Hope your friend's house doesn't get flooded petallus.