£5million we've pleged to burma
£5million.

and they are getting all that free food.

where's my free food mr brown? i pay my taxes for the UK not to help a secretive military junta.
( Thor_sonofodin loves Pocari Sweat., Wed 7 May 2008, 10:59, archived)

I hate to sound like an apologist for the government...
...but for a start that money will be from an already set-aside aid budget for the department for international development

I'm also pretty sure that they'll do everything possible to make sure that it goes to helping the people who need it and not into the pockets of the Junta.

Also if you think about it, £5m is an extraordinarily tiny fraction of total government spending.

I wouldn't say that's the thing to get in a fuss over :)
( Mushroom, Wed 7 May 2008, 11:11, archived)

I suspect there will be plenty of mud-slinging
because Britain has only pledged 5 mil.
( Wasp Box, Wed 7 May 2008, 11:14, archived)

Probably
But at the same time they'll be wary of spending more because of the endemic corruption over there.

The last thing Britain wants to do is be seen to end up funding the Junta there
( Mushroom, Wed 7 May 2008, 11:16, archived)

It could well be a situation that illustrates Brown's entire position
Whatever he does, he can't win
( Wasp Box, Wed 7 May 2008, 11:21, archived)

Well yes
fair point
( Mushroom, Wed 7 May 2008, 11:26, archived)

yep, it's a whole 30 minutes' funding for the NHS

( Mighty Nibus who dares gins, Wed 7 May 2008, 11:15, archived)

yes, i'm sure they will do everything to reach those at need
but it doesn't mean that somewhere along the lines things might go awry.

and i know the government makes that amount from fuel duty in about 5 minutes, i'm just having a rant for rants sake.

i'm glad that we(britan) still call it burma, and don't recognise mynmar as a country. even though translated both words mean sort of the same thing.
( Thor_sonofodin loves Pocari Sweat., Wed 7 May 2008, 11:30, archived)

this doesn't bother me as they've had a recent biblical style disaster
what FUCKS ME OFF COMPLETELY is that we have donated money to china and india

if they can afford nuclear weapons and fucking space ships they don't need our money

bag
( Discomeats Subletting Harpoons, Badiocrose the Medium cement, Wed 7 May 2008, 11:40, archived)