Joe Stead

Right to reply: The aid debate we need to have

From our UK edition

As Fraser pointed out yesterday, the Spectator's debate on international aid is tonight (all CoffeeHousers welcome, tickets available here). To further set the stage for that debate, here's a response to Fraser's original post from the folk at Christian Aid: I'm glad that, in his post yesterday, the Spectator editor said he is in favour of aid, and that some of it is best done by governments. And, like him, I'm also in favour of aid spending being at least protected from cuts. On these two points we agree. That’s about the extent of our common ground. The British government made a commitment to devote 0.7 per cent of economic output to foreign aid at the UN way back in 1970 — and then quietly forgot about it.