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Cameron vows not to use recession as excuse to ignore world’s poor
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor13 Jul 2009
David Cameron vowed today that a Tory government would protect the poor despite the spending squeeze caused by the recession.
He pledged that the worst off, at home and abroad, would be exempt from the need to balance the nation's books.
Mr Cameron said that he knew many Britons were “hurting” in the downturn, but Britain was not a country of “fair-weather philanthropy” and should not abandon the billions on the planet who still lacked basic necessities.
The Conservatives would seek to spend the overseas aid more wisely and stop cash from going to richer countries such as China and Vietnam, while introducing schemes to bypass corrupt governments and give aid directly to communities.
The Conservative leader confirmed that he would meet the UK's obligation to spend 0.7 per cent of Gross Domestic Product on overseas aid by 2013.
The pledge on international aid, together with a promise to increase “real terms” spending on the NHS, means that these are the only two areas that are exempt from shadow Chancellor George Osborne's review of total spending. The commitment to maintain Labour's development spending came as Tory officials today played down reports that the party was changing its line on inheritance tax cuts.
Conservative sources had claimed yesterday that Mr Osborne had decided to shelve the tax cut until later in the first Parliament of a Tory government and to possibly delay until 2015 a tax cut for married couples. Mr Osborne's spokesman insisted that both pledges would be honoured. In a speech to the Save the Children charity, Mr Cameron said that the Conservatives would cut spending to correct the nation's deteriorating finances caused by the recession and Labour's overspending.
But he stressed that in a downturn, it was time to “re-affirm our moral responsibilities, not reduce them” and a Tory government would increase the amount spent on foreign aid.
“Making big decisions is about doing what's right, not what is convenient,” he said. “And it's about ensuring that short-term pressures don't lead you to make long-term mistakes.
“So yes — people at home are hurting in this recession. But they understand that there are still billions who have the tiniest fraction of what we have, even in a recession, and that it's our social responsibility to help them.
“And yes — we have a huge debt to pay off thanks to Labour's economic incompetence. But paying down the debt must not mean pushing down the poor — at home or abroad.
“I don't think Britain is a country of fair-weather philanthropy. We're better than that.” Mr Cameron added: “But it's not just about compassion. Dropping our pledge to increase aid would be a serious long-term mistake. When you look at some of the major threats to our security today — from terrorism to climate change to war, you know they will only get worse unless we help fight poverty and boost the development of struggling nations.”
Mr Cameron's claim that he would not harm the poor in any spending cuts follows polls showing the public trust the Conservatives more than Labour to carry out sensible savings.
With Labour seeking to focus on the issue in the run-up to an election, both parties know that whoever can champion “compassionate cuts” is likely to win favour with the voters.
Mr Cameron today unveiled a green paper outlining policy proposals on overseas aid reform, calling for more transparency and “a much greater focus on helping poor people to help themselves”.
Reader views (14)
Nothing changes in these third world countries, they don't seem to want to help themselves. They lapse into civil wars and spend all their time killing each other. Where I live it feels just like third world. How come people are saying we are one of the richest countries, we are practically bankrupt. Stop paying the EU and lets get out of it, they are a bunch of worthless idiots forcing unwanted laws and human rights on us. We want ENGLAND back. And remember when Brown was chancellor to Bliar he immediately sold of much of our gold reserves at low cost. What an idiot!!! Cameron needs to get real and come up with some better ideas. DaveNW5 is spot on, the minor parties are becoming very appealing.
- Lin, London England, 14/07/2009 08:20
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He can be very generous with other people money.
- Bernard Parke, GUILDFORD, 13/07/2009 22:22
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We've had 12 years of dreamers throwing our money away; now we're nearly bankrupt and Cameron wants to continue it!
- Jules_London, london, 13/07/2009 17:51
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It seems rather interesting that Mr Cameron will help the poor of the UK. By this will he give urgent financial help for the Pensioner ? Surely the people of this sector of the economy are now the poorer people of the land and would be even more so with some Final Salary pensions closing. So may we live in hope for some help!?
- Arthur Lincoln, Roeselare, Belgium, 13/07/2009 16:08
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There is always a first for everything,Conservatives to look after the poor,watch out for those flying pigs.
- Trudy, Putney, 13/07/2009 15:25
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Oi! My money - if spending it isn't essential in my community's interest, leave it to me to decide how to spend it (and not via e-voting on compulsory charity either, 'Dave'). You'll have my vote, but only if you play your cards right - and soon.
- Steve, London, England, 13/07/2009 14:57
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Some people are so selfish. We are amongst the richest countries in the world, if we are having problems can you imagine what the poorest countries are going through. We have shelter,food,water these are basic human needs,these countries do not have these things. Stop being so selfish.
- Jen, london, 13/07/2009 14:11
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David Cameron, or any other Conservative, saying they want to help the poor,come on,do they take us for fools,just digest a few of the comments already made?
- Felicity Youngman, St Johns Wood, 13/07/2009 13:20
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Charity BEGINS at HOME - and, believe or not, we are despised by ALL third-world countries.
I think the young soldier in Afghanistan put it correctly when he said: "I am not interested in the water or electricity supply, the education system and whether or not women can go to work or wear make-up. All I care about is looking after my mates and getting us OUT of this dump in one piece."
Are you listening, David?
- Ted, London, 13/07/2009 13:19
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Not an excuse but the fact of the matter is now that we had 10 years of Nu Labor waste and our country is bankrupt and they should look at savings. The Nu Labor depression is going to cost us for many decades I think.
- Georgie, Islington, London, 13/07/2009 13:19
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"Why should we help the worlds poor anyway?!"
Because the UK is among the worlds's rich. Simple. If Ireland can do it, why cant we ?
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 13/07/2009 12:08
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This is going to go down like a lead balloon with families who are up to the eyeballs in debt to give their children an adequate education or pay for a roof over their heads. We are going to be under even more pressure with the tax rises that the Tories will inevitably bring in.
The UK has a problem with unsustainable debt and public spending, and will have to take some hard measures. The third world has a problem with its unsustainable population growth and must equally come to terms with it.
We should only give 'aid' over natural disasters before we've sorted out our own problems. Rich Hampstead and Notting Hill liberals will of course be free to throw their own wealth at third world dictatorships and other countries with very illiberal practices.
- Jools, London, 13/07/2009 11:39
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“while introducing schemes to bypass corrupt governments and give aid directly to communities”.
This is just plain silly. What sovereign government is going to allow us to enter their country and control their infrastructure. This is not the 19th century.
Foreign aid is an endless money pit. All it achieves is sustaining our over-population. Liberal socialists believe in raising living standards of billions of poor and they will then have negative population growth. This is unattainable utopia. The earth’s resources will be exhausted by the time this dream is achieved. We need to cut aid and let the poor nations find their own population equilibrium. If the bleeding hearts start squealing, just ask them to donate their own money, not ours. They don’t like that.
The Tories are offering very little in policy from Labour. The minor parties are becoming ever more attractive.
- Danny, NW5, 13/07/2009 11:33
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For Gods sake, STOP FOREIGN AID NOW it hasn't changed anything for the last 30 years, and we can't afford it.
Why should we help the worlds poor anyway?
- P I Staker, London, 13/07/2009 11:14
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