Bono rocks the world with Live Aid II plan

Live Aid II is being promoted by supergroup U2’s outspoken singer and human rights activist Bono and is backed by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Plans for the new mammoth concert to raise money for the world’s poor are expected to be unveiled this week.

Bono has joined up with Blackadder writer Richard Curtis to organise the modern-day equivalent of the original concert in 1985, described at the time as Britain’s largest ever fundraising effort.

Robbie Williams, Oasis and Coldplay are thought to head a star-studded list of musicians lined up to take part along with Sir Paul McCartney and Phil Collins, who both appeared at the original Live Aid.

Former Boomtown Rats frontman Sir Bob Geldof, the mastermind behind the concerts held simultaneously in Britain and the United States 19 years ago, helped raised around 60 million for famine victims in Africa.

The 17-hour concerts at Wembley and Philadelphia, which included performances from superstars such as Mick Jagger, Madonna, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Tina Turner and Queen, were beamed to 150 countries.

Sir Bob, 52, who is currently taking part in a year-long crusade to highlight debt issues in Third World countries with Curtis and Bono, is expected to be asked to help organise Live Aid II.

He said today that he had not yet been involved with organising any second Live Aid event, adding: "However, if the Prime Minister wants to organise a Live Aid II, then good luck to him."

A Whitehall source said: "It’s going to be bigger and better than before. Everyone is very excited."

Promoters of the first Live Aid concerts staged what they described as the biggest rock ’n’ roll show ever.

An opinion poll published in Britain after the concert indicated that three out of five Britons thought Sir Bob should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The survey indicated that 78 per cent of Britons tuned in or heard on radio at least part of the Live Aid concert, and 65 per cent said they or someone else in their household made donations to African famine relief.

Wembley Stadium was packed out by 72,000 people. At one point money was being donated at the rate of 20,000 a minute.

A concert was also held in the US at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia where 90,000 fans watched live performances from the world’s leading rock and pop acts as well as footage from Wembley.

The news comes as Mr Blair prepares to jet out to a G8 summit in the US state of Georgia. The Prime Minister will push for a 20 billion increase in aid for poor nations at the meeting of the world’s richest countries.

He will urge that ten indebted countries have more of their debt written off.