divert foreign aid to flood-hit British families

I like the sound of your Mum, durhamjen, quietly doing her bit to help but not shouting about it.

I SO totally agree with you Joelsnan and I this is what I was saying way back in this thread. Our government will always be run by very wealthy people whatever their political persuasion as only the very rich can afford to become ministers; their pay by comparison to business, celebrities and most other high flying jobs is way down the list, but I don't think we can begin to compare them to the blatantly obviously corrupt politicians and institutions in other countries! I think we, as a country, try to do our best trying to please all of the people all of the time, but as so often happens 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions' and the fact that so many countries seem to hate us can make it seem a fruitless task. I know all about our colonies and so on, but a lot of us weren't even born when independence was granted, let alone when colonialisms was being perpetrated. How long do Germans have to apologise and feel guilty for the Nazi's? surely not 75 years later! subsequent generations can't be expected to carry a burden of guilt till the end of time, and no one should expect them to! If only your last paragraph could be true, but I don't think Utopia will ever exist!!

I agree there is disparity, however with the exception of a few, the general social consensus in the UK is benevolence to our kin and that is not the case in many countries. I Would love for all countries to respect and value all of its inhabitants, if this was enabled there would be little need for charity giving.

I have gone a bit off piste

But look at the disparity of income in this country, Joelsnan. We do not stop giving to Shelter, etc., because the government is run by millionaires who want to see families on the streets.
When my mother died, I was surprised and extremely pleased to find that she had direct debits to both Shelter and Water Aid. She was always going on about charity beginning at home. Something I said to her must have got through, but she did not like to let on.

Hi Durhamjen
The above link appears to show that the government has recognised that it's Injudicious giving of financial aid may not be going where it is needed and achieving the desired outcomes.

Giving to charities that promote self empowerment of the poor and maltreated within this world is one of the greatest things we can do, however, no matter how benevolent, the intent is always change.

I too give to charities but sometimes do think that despite years of support some issues never change. Children are still starving in the same places. Women are still being treated as birthing animals. Education and health care is still being denied to the needy. And yet within these countries there are rich people who totally disregard these needs due to cultural norms.

#newspaperwars.

We could never have thought of that could we.

www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10633669/Yes-the-floods-are-awful-but-we-must-keep-a-sense-of-proportion.html

I do not expect that when we give aid to other countries we expect them to change their values to ours. That is colonialism.
You'll be wanting the empire back next.
The charities I give money to help the people in need to help themselves. I expect government aid to do the same.

m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/4778975/ interesting.

We should and do prize human life, but does throwing UK government aid money annually and without audit into these countries change the countries values to ours?.
A number of the countries that the government sends money to were former colonies where we Brits tried to impose our values. In many instances cultures and practices changed little or reverted to habit on independence and many would now say we had no right to try. FGM, infanticide, acid attacks etc. are still rife and yet we still support these regimes by giving them our money which, in many instances goes into the pockets of those who don't need it rather than into the services for those who do.
Disaster aid is a different matter.

Yes. Thank you

That was a result of not checking. I meant priZing, and I was referring to the fact that while some regimes / cultures might not prize human life, there is no reason why we may not do so.

Perhaps that clarifies the matter.

ariadne, I don't understand what you mean by "pricing human life". Well, perhaps vaguely, but please could you elucidate your meaning a lttle.

It,s not a term i have come across before and it's not something i do so....

Sorry for the small i and wrong apostrophes. I get sick of correcting them. ipad keyboard has changed with last update and I'm having difficulty getting used to one or two things.

Something to make you smile - and think.
www.practicalaction.org/innocent

Thank you for that Ariadne, perhaps we shall meet up again on another thread - hope so.

But it doesn't stop us pricing human life.

Oh, you're going, niggly - such a shame.

I can't answer for Ninny, but as far as I am concerned this conversation has run it's course and having said what I feel I'm bowing out of any further discussion on the matter.

Giving money to charities is nothing to do with the foreign aid that is given by the government. In fact the government can give so little, 0.7%, simply because the British give so much individually to charities.

If we withdrew foreign aid and charitable giving, what would that make you feel like, Nigglie, and Ninny?
I would have thought that what is happening in this country would make you feel empathy for people in places like Bangladesh and the Philippines.

Agree with Joelsnan.

Exactly the point I was making and I believe Ninny was too. Glad that the dog has been allowed to see the rabbit.

I agree that NGO's and charities have a place in alleviating suffering and promoting education and they can direct their aid directly as needed. However, many charities also realise that throwing money is not appropriate.
Many of our perceived issues with some of the very poor countries often relates to their culture, the internal class system and what value they place on human life which is in many instances very different to ours.

In some ways Joel is right about bribery in countries which receive aid, and I think there is some truth in the observation that it can be a political tool. Some imdependent assessment and auditing is needed. Disaster relief is, I think, already organised to move in on disasters.

Nevertheless, having done, and been involved in, much volunteer and charity work in LEDCs, I know that any aid is vital and welcome. We cannot, as I have already said, abdicate our responsibilities (not our "rights") to people whose lives are lived in absolute poverty. "From those to whom much is given, much is to be expected."

Yes, we have many in this country who live in relative, as opposed to absolute, poverty, and of course they should be cared for. There are systems in place, but they do not always work, and are in urgent need of reform.

NGOs that I have worked with tend to use their own networks to ensure that money goes direct to source, which is the bone of contention on this thread.

Stansgran It's worth looking at the articles as it pays to "know your enemy."
Particularly one which puts a lot of scurrilous spin on many of their stories. It helps to evaluate much of the crap rubbish they publish, before it is related to you as fact, by readers who believe every word.

I do wonder what right we have to think we can right the wrongs in other countries when there is so much that needs putting right in our own.

I always wonder why people read the daily mail articles if it gives them such conniptions . I haven't read it. I don't intend to and I think ,sitting on the fence as I am, that the small amount of foreign aid is used as a diplomatic tool. Cynic I may be but I assume most goes into private pockets, after all china and India are very wealthy nations. Their mindset is there will always be an under caste and they don't seem to care as much as we do. I remember meeting someone whose sole purpose in India was getting the funding in tact as possible from the donors to the needy. He was burnt out as it was so stressful. I also agree that if you buy a house near a river you look at the EA flood charts. As my DSL did when looking to buy in York. And I agree if the council allows new housing on flood plains they should be responsible for the shortfall in insurance cover and repairs. That is us through our council tax. And we should see who voted the housing through and hold them responsible