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April 25, 2005
UK election: World Poverty Day
Yesterday was supposed to be World Poverty Day in the UK election, with the three main parties agreeing to give the day to debating world poverty issues. On the day, election media coverage of the debate was rather overshadowed by parties positioning on Iraq.
Nevertheless, it is good that justice issues such as Aid, Trade, Debt, and HIV/malaria/TB have at least been on the election agenda, when they are not usually election issues. All the parties are making some of the right noises. But, as the BBC observes: "There is no area of political life where promises are more routinely broken than international development."
The British public are hugely in favour of change: 75% want debt cancelled for poor countries, 88% want fairer trade rules, and 50% want aid up to the agreed 0.7% of GDP by 2010. The 0.7% goal was agreed by rich nations (in 1970 I think), but has never been anywhere near reached. In the 1990's it actually dropped. It is currently at about 0.3%.
As Christians, there are many issues that concern us when we vote, but certainly we should not only be voting based on issues that promote our own prosperity and comfort. Justice for the poor and oppressed should be one of our most pressing ethical and moral concerns. Compare the main parties policies on Aid, Trade, Debt, Africa, and Health here.
Posted by Keith at April 25, 2005 07:38 AM