Why Should We Spend £600M On Third World Flood Defences, When We Have A Flood Problem Of Our Own?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2837047/As-Somerset-faces-new-floods-set-pay-600m-World-flood-defences-Tory-MPs-fury-new-aid-giveaway.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2837653/Britain-flood-watch-18-alerts-warnings-Met-Office-warns-country-facing-wettest-winter-ever.html

[janbee]

That is just ONE off the many reasons this government will be out in May. Mind you, Labour would also flash our money around abroad, so they're no better where foreign aid and handouts are concerned.

[Baldric]

We should sort out our own problems first!

[Old_Geezer]

One would hope they are already doing everything practical/reasonable to minimise flooding at home, aren't they ? Or is it being starved of finance ?

[ichkeria]

This is a ridiculous story: where does it say
"Government tells Somerset they can't have flood defences because there's no money because we spent it all on third world flood defences"?

[Booldawg]

I seem to recall the government reneging on the amount of money they promised to spend in the South West after all the flooding.

[mushroom25]

interesting that when devon and cornwall were cut off from the national rail network by the collapse of the sea wall at Dawlish, the government was full of strategies to minimize the effects of a repeat (diversion routes, etc). since when the repairs were made, the line re-opened and all the schemes were quietly dropped. now, after one winter storm, there are already holes in the repaired wall........

[vakayu]

Typical of this country always seems to be a money pot available for overseas help!

[sp1814]

Because when homes are flooded in Someset, homeowners are faced with replacing their Axminster carpets, whereas when floods happen in developing countries, residents have to face burying their children.

[New Judge]

No it is not a ridiculous story, ichkeria.

There are arguments over who should pay for essential flood protection work in Somerset. The BBC (not renowned for the same level of sensationalism as the Daily Mail) reports this in connection with the funding:

"...Communities Minister, Eric Pickles has said that council tax should not be raised while the Environment Secretary Liz Truss has said local authorities should contribute."

This IS ridiculous. Whilst it is true that nobody has specifically told the people of Somerset "...they can't have flood defences because there's no money because we spent it all on third world flood defences"? the implication is just as insolent. The government IS sending money abroad (whether for flood defences or to buy a few new Mercs for African despots) and they ARE prevaricating over the funding for vital work to protect areas where the residents have not even recovered from the pasting they took last year.

This is why people get the hump and this is why the likes of UKIP have developed a strong following. People do not like to see the safety of their homes jeopardised for the want of a few bob when they have paid out vast sums to the Exchequer, only to see £11bn pa sent abroad. If governments (of whatever persuasion) don't get this then they deserve to be held in as much contempt as they clearly hold the electorate.

[douglas9401]

If that's a valid argument, sp1814, then all funding in the UK should be stopped until the developing world catches up which is patent nonsense.

[Old_Geezer]

It's surely a case of balance. One assigns priorities and tries to maximise 'good'.

In this case the answer to both is not to build/farm/live on the flood risk areas.

Any foreign aid decided on is best given in terms of providing the resource and doing the job, rather than handing over wads of folding stuff.

[Zeuhl]

If that's a valid argument, Donald then all funding to save people overseas from death, blindness, preventable diseases and drowning should be stopped until everyone in the UK has a detached bungalow, a new car and £40K a year income.

(or perhaps we should just carry on sorting out our own relatively small scale problems and giving up a small percentage of the cost to help others in dire straits - like we normally do)

[Zeuhl]

^ Or Douglas even ....

the cow suggested something more Hibernian obviously - sorry!

[douglas9401]

Caledonian?

[andy-hughes]

AOG - if you examine what appears to be a simple matter of millions going abroad while the UK suffer, you must realise that it cannot be that simple.

Although this appears to be the case - and it makes for some serious tempertature-rising headlines in the nationals, it would be political suicide for any party of any hue to be sanctioning such profligacy.

Therefore it must follow that this is simply a simplification of a far more complex set if circumstances - not least of which is the need for compassion as indicated by posters below.

We should not stop trying to save our fellow human beings who do not have the resources available to save themselves, that is simply inhuman.

It would be more appropriate if the government explained to the public exactly what the costs (I believe it is a fraction of GDP) compared with the benefits to the tax payer.

That would alleviate this type of headline (and attendent outrage!) which occurs as regularly as the turns of the seasons.

[Zeuhl]

Just to put this into perspective

(and I know The Daily Wail doesn't like to include facts and figures that might detract from their stories)

600 houses were flooded on the Somerset Levels 2013-14

500,000 people were made homeless by the Bangla Deshi floods in August

[Zeuhl]

LOL Douglas

Caledonia? Hibernia?

Sorry you're all aliena barbarorum to me

[TTG]

My point is Zeuhl is can we see receipts or proof that money sent abroad is actually used for it's intended purpose?

[TTG]

* My point Zeuhl is

[ChillDoubt]

This is why we need UKIP to take control of what we give away in foreign aid. Let's solve our crumbling NHS, ever expanding classrooms and own flood defences before giving money to other countries known to sympathise with terrorists or those with a space programme.