10 signatures reached
To: Rishi Sunak
International aid versus Whitehall refurbishment
Reallocate taxpayers' money back to international aid rather than diverting it to government redecoration schemes
Why is this important?
Aid to Yemen has been cut from £164m to £87m owing to ‘current straitened circumstances’, says Boris Johnson (3 March), while he is spending £11.9m on a Whitehall ‘situation room’ and refurbishing No. 9 Downing Street. Meanwhile, after five years of war in Yemen, 'Extreme hunger and disease may have already claimed the lives of up to 85,000 young children' (Save the Children). Over 2 million people have been displaced, and now, with coronavirus, 'medicines and medical supplies are extremely scarce' (British Red Cross). Of course, Yemen is not alone. Cuts will also affect Syria, South Sudan, Libya, and Somalia. But the government are turning their backs and using our money to put up new wallpaper. What would we want and hope for from richer countries if we were in a similar situation?
