Does charity really begin at home?

I don't think so, you do. No point carrying on with debating this, as we have covered this subject if not on here but certainly on the old forum.

0.7% of our wealth is not a lot or too much to spend compared with the Billions of ponds worth of wealth this country stole from a lot of the poor countries in the world. Of course this country could always just be seen in a negative way.

We will have to agree to disagree.

Let's not ever forget that when all these countries were being raped of their wealth by our country the majority of people in this country were living in desperate poverty and some still are. WE do not have the wealth that was stolen it went into private pockets.

It's never been about over here or over there as far as I am concerned. It has always been about the haves and have nots.

Ring fencing foreign aid has never been one of my 'likes'. It should, like everything else, be subject to availability of funds. There are few items I would ring fence. Those would be Health, Food and Shelter. When this countries population have the aforementioned in basic form I see no reason why 'others' should not benefit from aid where it is 'really' needed. (This should always be given in 'kind', not money, and seen to be distributed to the 'needy' properly). Governments and State Organisations should not be recipients of aid monies. Many are not to be trusted.

Decisions on foreign aid have been made by politicians for political reasons. The ring-fencing of foreign aid would only make sense if foreign aid was an indisputably good and essential item.

There is very little to support that idea. Foreign aid is different to charity. Foreign aid is a political arrangement, money passing from government to government for largely obscure reasons, with often bad results for populations. Some countries both give and receive foreign aid, being given money so they can give it away.

While there is pain and poverty especially for the elderly in this country, the idea of billions of pounds being given away in foreign aid appears more of a tragedy than something to be pleased about.

As with many things, opinions on this will vary according to what people believe to be the facts. Accounts from people in countries that receive foreign aid often show foreign aid to be a bad, unfair, corrupt business that often cripples local economies and props up dictatorships.

It would be better to reserve a certain amount of the national budget to be used at the discretion of parliament to relieve populations around the world as events unfold, to take food directly to famine victims etc. The 'circus' of foreign aid as it exists can do as much damage as it does good, as turned out in Haiti after the earthquake there.

Irish says in the 'Honesty' thread

Certainly today when I hear things like charity begins at home and we should not help others in a far worse situation by giving hand outs, (I’m alright Jack to hell with you) attitude is sad to hear.

This is from AgeUK

Challenging the disgrace of winter deaths

Every winter, thousands of older people in England become seriously ill or even die as a result of the cold.

Over the past ten years, there have been on average 26,700 'excess winter deaths' each winter in England and Wales, the vast majority among older people. This is more than fifteen times the number of people who died in road accidents last year.

Cold weather also causes a massive increase in health problems such as heart attacks, strokes and breathing difficulties among people in later life. It is causing untold distress to older people and their families and is a massive cost to the NHS.

‘When I was young, being cold wasn’t an issue, it never occurred to me it could be a problem. But as I’ve got older staying warm has become my priority. Being older, and less active, it’s so hard to ward off the cold.’ Dreda, 94
Age UK believe that this is a national disgrace. We are calling on national and local government to take action now.