Not one penny

Published on 21/02/2013 20:11

We are deeply concerned at Prime Minister’s suggestion that some of the UK’s aid budget could be spent on military
activities.

This is a crucial time for our commitment to the world’s poorest people. Tonight, one in eight people will go to bed 
hungry. That’s a disgrace.

In the next 28 days, we have a chance to take a big step towards ending the scandal of hunger.

On 20 March, George Osborne will announce this year’s Budget.

The UK Government has promised to deliver on the 43-year-old promise to commit 0.7 per cent of our national 
income on aid, a pledge confirmed at Gleneagles in 2005.

While aid remains a very small proportion of overall spending, the coalition deserves praise for protecting the aid budget when every other G8
nations is not.

However, the millions of 
people who support this progressive stance will expect UK aid to be spent on hospitals, not helicopter gunships and on schools, not soldiers. To be clear: not a single penny should be 
diverted to the military.

Judith Robertson

Oxfam Scotland

Bath Street

Glasgow