Published in the Daily Mail (December 9th, 2013) From the moment Comic Relief was launched in a Sudanese refugee camp on Christmas Day 28 years ago, the country’s […]
Aid / Haiti / Philippines / Sri Lanka / World
Too often incompetent, self-serving aid agencies make matters worse
Published in the Daily Mail (November 16th, 2013) The stories are heartbreaking. Families have been ripped apart, houses flattened and communities crushed. The images of towns and cities […]
Africa / Aid / Immigration / Nigeria / Policy / Politics
Britain’s pathetic response to the rise of a global power
Published in The Guardian (August 9th, 2013) Despite their military name, it is hard to see how an eight-strong delegation from Nigeria’s branch of the Boys’ Brigade posed […]
Aid
Hideous hypocrisy of the charity fat cats
Published in The Daily Mail (August 7th, 2013) Our overseas aid charities work hard to persuade people to hand over their cash. Whether paying for commercials on television, […]
Aid / Ethiopia / Politics
This is not about ending world hunger. It is a political stunt
Published in The Independent (June 19th, 2013) The broadcasters fell for it, of course. Those colourful images of a “flotilla” of two longboats sailing near the venue of […]
Africa / Aid / Ethiopia
Foreign aid: the final insult
Published in The Mail on Sunday (May 26th, 2013) It is hard to think of many more blessed spots on Earth than the Gambella region of Ethiopia, with […]
Aid / Politics
Corrupt, ineffective and hypocritical: Britain should give less aid, not more
Published in The Independent (May 2nd, 2013) When Jacob Zuma, the president of South Africa, decided to give his family house in Nkandla a makeover, he did so […]
Aid / Technology
Media short-changes the poor with soft-soap aid coverage
Published in The Guardian (17th March, 2013) For several weeks, BBC television seems to have been dominated by build-up to Friday’s Red Nose Day, with worthy dramas and special […]
Aid / Health / Policy / Politics / Social care
Overseas aid: an indefensible ringfence
Published in The Guardian (March 14th, 2013) One of the first rules of opposition is to avoid rash promises that can come back to throttle you in government. […]
Afghanistan / Africa / Aid / Mali / Politics / World
Save lives Mr Cameron, but don’t imagine you need to save Africa
Published in The Independent (February 2nd, 2013) This week, the Prime Minister went to Africa.Struggling to achieve anything at home thanks to the shaky state of her coalition, […]
Africa / Aid / General
Aid groups have blinded Britain to the realities of Africa
Published in The Independent (January 9th, 2013) Recep Erdogan, the astute prime minister of Turkey, is on a tour of Africa. His entourage includes 300 business leaders from […]