Month: May 2010
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The coalition in development: a bluer shade of green
First posted on Progress Online as part of Steve’s regular column. The Lib Dems have not fought the corner of international development – they are absent from DfID and big ideas such as the Robin Hood Tax have been dropped When analysing the influence of the coalition partners on their joint programme for international development, we…
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Check out ACTSA’s World Cup actions
The World Cup is on the very near horizon and brings with it more than just the promise of good football. This tournament, which begins in a fortnight, will be held in South Africa and is the largest tournament ever held on African soil. There is more to this World Cup than football. Though South…
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Our letter on aid gets mentioned in The Guardian
Today The Guardian notes our letter to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on our concerns the ConDem Government is trying to water down the UK’s aid budget. Read the article here (see the bottom paragraph).
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Letter to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury: UK spending on Overseas Development Assistance
Last week, the Coalition Government announced in it’s programme for International Development that it would “stick to the rules laid down by the OECD about what spending counts as aid.” But many NGOs are critical of the OECD’s laws, with organisations such as Aid Watch arguing that many EU Governments count non-aid items as aid…
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Cuts to development education may increase public scepticism
First posted on Left Foot Forward. Monday saw the first cuts at DfID were announced by the new Conservative administration, as new international development secretary Andrew Mitchell announced that projects designed to raise awareness of development issues amongst the UK public are to be scrapped. He said: “I’m surprised that Labour ministers thought these projects…
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Labour ratifies Cluster Munition Convention in one of our last acts
We just wanted to highlight one of the last acts of the Labour Government – On the 4th May the UK became the 32nd country to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The instrument of ratification was deposited at the UN in New York on May 4. The treaty will now enter into force for…
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Personal message from Douglas Alexander
There are less than 30 hours left before the last ballot is cast in this election – an election that will decide the fate of a generation – not just here but across the world. Labour has made a difference globally, just look at our success against vulture funds. But in the last few days…
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Urgent action: Please forward this message
This is a big choice election. I know many of you will have friends who care deeply about social justice and global poverty – now is the last chance we have to again get the message out to them about Labour’s proud record on international development. Whatever their grievances about a Government (and after 13…
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Vote 2010: International development – A big choice election
First published on Left Foot Forward. International development has not grabbed the headlines in this election – and that’s a great shame, because not only has it meant a worrying lack of scrutiny of the Conservative Party’s aid policies, but it has hidden from view one of Labour’s most progressive and positive achievements of the last…
Labour Campaign for International Development 