Why do we give money away

[alancdavis]

The news is full of articles saying the country has a huge national debt which needs to be repayed to improve our economy

So why the hell has the dozy PM promised to give Pakistan 650 million in aid to build new schools etc

Dont we need to get our own country sorted first

[mk2ddc]

Isn`t the motto ` Charity begins at home`

[alancdavis]

Yes it is but not with our goverment

[0630154]

thats why we pay tax tax tax tax tax tax tax tax , we pay the 3rd highest tax in the world and we will never be well off .

[Aaron P.]

you think thats bad we are ****ed completly....no ****ing jobs or money and the bank bailout is growing by the week....the one thing i have is my health at present.....gotta be thankfull for something in life

[vinny]

why are we giving away money to a country that clearly already has loads - i.e any country that has a nuclear arms program isnt short of a bob or two.
At the same time thousands are loosing their jobs in this country due to cut back etc - MAKES MY ****IN **** BOIL

[alancdavis]

you think thats bad we are ****ed completly....no ****ing jobs or money and the bank bailout is growing by the week....the one thing i have is my health at present.....gotta be thankfull for something in life

they will give your organs away next

[rwdrs]

To answer the question:
Influence and maintaining the UK's status in the world.
Similar to what China is doing in Africa, i.e. plundering the resources there to produce crap for people in the West, the Chinese are also building new tarmac roads to transport the resources, but the infrastructure will remain even after the Chinese have left.

[alancdavis]

Back to the original answer,,,,Look after your own first

[pushrod]

To answer the question:
Influence and maintaining the UK's status in the world.

That's funny that is.

Can't maintain a solitary aircraft carrier, or the NHS, our road network, our rail system, law and order......the list goes on.
The only status we have is that of American lapdogs.

[GP4]

Back to the original answer,,,,Look after your own first

£650 million is a drop in the ocean compared to the money wasted every year on keeping a vast number of bone idle spongers who make a life-long career of claiming benefits...pushing out sprogs at a rate of knots...conditioning said sprogs to misbehave to the degree that they are diagnosed with ADHD or suchlike, so the parent/s can claim for disability living allowance on top of other benefits...claiming for 'alcoholic' status which also carries an extra benefit payment...etc etc etc.

I know where I would rather spend the money...to try and assure this nations amicable trading relationship with one of the worlds quickest emerging commercial powers. Since the beginning of civilisation Britain's wealth has always relied on trading goods/raw materials from other countries, because with the exception of a short period of time during the Industrial Revolution we have historically manufactured bugger all, and have next to no minerals or ores required for many manufacturing processes. GB is the world's most succesful 'Del-Boy'...

£650 million is a very small investment to make to secure future dealings worth £££billions....

[rwdrs]

That's funny that is.

Can't maintain a solitary aircraft carrier, or the NHS, our road network, our rail system, law and order......the list goes on.
The only status we have is that of American lapdogs.

Maybe, it's symbolic and intended to gain sympathy in the region. Soft power, whether or not it works is another matter...

[dick_dastardly]

£650 million is a drop in the ocean compared to the money wasted every year on keeping a vast number of bone idle spongers who make a life-long career of claiming benefits...pushing out sprogs at a rate of knots...conditioning said sprogs to misbehave to the degree that they are diagnosed with ADHD or suchlike, so the parent/s can claim for disability living allowance on top of other benefits...claiming for 'alcoholic' status which also carries an extra benefit payment...etc etc etc.

I know where I would rather spend the money...to try and assure this nations amicable trading relationship with one of the worlds quickest emerging commercial powers. Since the beginning of civilisation Britain's wealth has always relied on trading goods/raw materials from other countries, because with the exception of a short period of time during the Industrial Revolution we have historically manufactured bugger all, and have next to no minerals or ores required for many manufacturing processes. GB is the world's most succesful 'Del-Boy'...

£650 million is a very small investment to make to secure future dealings worth £££billions....

agree

[TugsW]

£650 million is a very small investment to make to secure future dealings worth £££billions....

I agree mostly with this but surely the UK has a moral reason to help out too.

Pakistan does not have much mineral wealth, if any like India has. But just like India it needs to sort out the rotten corruption that plagues the country to the core.

I spent 2 years working in Pakistan just outside of Karachi, the amount of people below the poverty line is depressing, as is the infant mortality rate.

For those with children just how would you feel if your poor and your child or wife is sick you can't just go to a doctor because they need paying and you have no money. Must be the most horrendous thing in the word watching a loved one die because medication that is available is unaffordable to you and your famliy.....

How many parents fret about what school to send the children too as they want them 'to get the best start in life' and get a good education. If that option is not open to you because you have to pay for your children's education and the chance to get out of the cycle of grinding poverty is removed.

One of my guys feel ill and needed the 'hospital', well he could not afford it nor could his colleges, so when they came to me asking for assistance I gave them double the amount for his medication to cover his wages too that he could send home to his family. The money asked for was £15........

After that job I was sent to Kosovo in 2000 to a powerstation refurbishment. The amount of money pumped into a small place like Kosovo was obscene, the population must have at least tripled due to KFOR,UNMIK,OSCE, International police, NGO's and commercial people like me. When I left the Kosovan Albanian's were building house they could only dream of before the 'War'. All paid for by us, and all because its in Europe......? Not saying there was not hardship and I heard some very bad stories, but all the children went to school and everyone had shoes on there feet.

Yeah charity should start at home, but for those who really need it, not all of the scroungers that would more than pay for the £650M sent to Pakistan. I'm not saying Pakistan could not do more to help itself but I don't begruge the money 'if' it gets to the people who need it. Well I would rather chuck it away than pay for someone to sit at home in the UK with there widescreen telly drinking Stella and smoking 20 Lambert and Butler with no intention of ever going to work.......

Right better jump of my high horse.....

[M1TCH]

Stay on your horse, i thought you were doing rather well in the saddle