Page 14 - LOTN Issue 45

DIOCESE

Government urged £16.5 billion, dwarfing the £4 billion savings from cutting aid
today. Were the defence budget only increased by £12.5 billion
– an eye-watering sum in any year – this latest cut could have
to re-think aid cuts been avoided.
“So don’t be taken in by the Chancellor’s claim that we can’t
justify the aid budget. We can. But we’re choosing not to.
he UK government has today (25 November) “I urge the UK government to rethink its decision to let down
announced a U-turn on a Conservative manifesto some of the most vulnerable people at this critical time.”
Tpledge to protect UK Aid spending, reneging on
its legal obligation to spend 0.7% of UK gross national
income (GNI) on poorer countries. Addiction meetings
The news comes amidst a recent warning from the World
Bank that extreme poverty will rise in 2020 for the first time
since 1998, with the coronavirus expected to push a further 115 for Polish speakers
million people into that category, undoing decades of progress
to reduce poverty and hunger in some of the world’s poorest OLISH-language addiction meetings are now being
countries. offered to several thousand Central and Eastern
The government has made its decision before a much awaited PEuropean people living in the Highlands.
Integrated Review is complete which demonstrates haste and Pawel Wyderka runs the SMART (Self Management and
a lack of proper consideration to poorer nations or indeed its Recovery Training) programme both in person and online on a
own reputation as a country that has been at the forefront of voluntary basis. Under government guidance, adult addiction
international aid and foreign affairs. meetings can still take place under strict precautions during
SCIAF Director, Alistair Dutton said: “UK aid has been a the Covid restrictions.
lifeline for communities ravaged by war, hunger and climate Having gained a diploma from the University of the
change and has provided a force of stability to people Highlands and Islands in Inverness Pawel is currently working
experiencing unimaginable levels of poverty. Their lives have as a counsellor. He explained how the programme addresses the
been made much worse by the onset of one of the biggest problem of addiction, “SMART Recovery is a mutual support
pandemics in history and today’s decision will push people meeting where, through open and confidential discussion, we
already living on a knife edge further into hardship. help each other and ourselves with recovery from any type of
“Every crisis hits the world’s poorest people hardest and the addictive behaviour.
coronavirus and climate change crises are no different. This is “If we have chosen to maintain an addictive behaviour, it is
not the time to turn our backs on extremely vulnerable nations. possible that we can choose to stop it. We therefore discourage
We can and must work as part of a global world community to the use of labels such as alcoholic and addict in our meetings.”
combat the hugely damaging effects of the major crises we are Meetings for the Polish-speaking community are held
facing. in the Salvation Army Hall at 20 Tomnahurich Street,
He added: “The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, wants us to believe Inverness every Saturday at 4pm. Pawel also holds online
that slashing aid is necessary due to the cost of the pandemic. SMART meetings for the Polish-language group every
This is simply not true. This week the UK government has Thursday at 8pm.
already announced plans to increase the defence budget by

Following the UK government's proposal to reduce its contribution to overseas aid Bishop Toal (Bishop President
of SCIAF), Bishop Arnold (Bishop Chairman of CAFOD) and Bishop Crean (Bishop Chairman of Trócaire) have
written the following letter to the Prime Minister expressing their concern.
Dear Prime Minister,

We were dismayed to hear that the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is considering bringing proposals to reduce the UK’s contribution
to overseas aid from 0.7% to 0.5% in the Comprehensive Spending Review discussions.
We understand the financial challenges and difficulties the UK government faces. However, the legal commitment to spend
0.7% of GNI on aid already allows for fluctuations of the UK economy. Spending in response to the suffering of the world’s
poorest people has already been cut by nearly £3 billion this year. The impact of Covid-19 is being felt most by these people.
The numbers of people at risk of extreme hunger has doubled to 270 million as a result of COVID 19.
This pandemic and the ongoing climate crisis has prompted us therefore to think much more about who is our neighbour.
The aid budget provides a vital and lifesaving answer to that question. It is an expression of how we stand in solidarity with
those who face injustice and suffering in the poorest communities around the world. We fail to see how such vital aid can be
cut whilst military spending is increased.
The Government has a vital leadership role at the climate talks next year in delivering real and urgent action. We must not
allow anything, such as a reduction in the aid budget, to damage UK leadership next year. Pope Francis has continually called
us to look outwards to our neighbours and not work in isolation. More than ever, the UK must do this through its aid budget,
through its leadership on climate and through its ability to recognise who are our neighbours.

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