Public back aid to increase global security
A new poll has suggested that two thirds of Britons believe that development aid, rather than warfare, is the best way of increasing global security.
The YouGov study, carried out for the Make Poverty History campaign, revealed more than half of respondents want Britain to meet its commitment to giving 0.7 per cent of GDP as aid by 2010.
And as many as one in four people polled went far as saying this goal should be reached by the end of next year.
Make Poverty History coalition member ActionAid said the poll sends a “clear alert” to all political parties that Britons think fighting poverty is key to ensuring global stability.
Senior policy officer Patrick Watt, said: “In addition, political leaders must heed the view that one in two people say the parties are dragging their heels on Britain’s pledge to spend 0.7 per cent of our national income on aid to overcome poverty and starvation”.
Commenting on the finding that eight in ten people said international trade rules should be rewritten, Mr Watt said politicians “should also act on the will of the great majority of people who want the global trade rules changed”.
