Pensioners suffer as aid goes abroad

14 Duncombe Street

Wollaston

Stourbridge

DY8 3QU

22ndApril 2012

"Letters to the Editor"

The Editor

"Express & Star"

Dear Sir,

I was so sad to see Keith Joyce's letter of 20th April ("Pensioners suffer as aid goes abroad"). Mr Joyce has been gravely misled by mischievous elements in the national media. First, the Coalition, pushed by the Liberal Democrats, has introduced a "triple lock" on the state pension, which will now rise annually by the average rise in prices, the average rise in earnings, or 2.5%, whichever is the greatest.

Secondly, the increase in overseas aid is designed to ensure that, as a country, we honour the commitment we have made, to give 0.7% (yes - such a tiny figure) of our GNP annually. Thirdly, not a penny of this aid goes to "countries which are financially better off that we are". Fourthly, aid goes to help people who have no NHS, no pensions, not enough to eat, no clean drinking water, no sewerage, no proper housing, whose children die, and who do not reach old age.

They say that "charity begins at home". And so it should. But charity that begins at home and ends at home looks very much like selfishness. And if selfishness is what you want, please remember that helping poor countries develop means that they can afford to buy our exports and thus create more jobs in this country.

Chris Bramall

Stourbridge and Halesowen Liberal Democrats