Of course not!
"G8 leaders agreed in July to meet the pledge to double aid for Africa by 2010. But, within months, America said it was unsure if it would commit to the agreement. European finance ministers are also back-tracking, especially in France and Italy. The British Government stressed at the time that, for the pledge to be met, countries needed to increase their share of GDP given to aid to 0.7 per cent, and Britain said it would do that by 2007. Our share of donated GDP stands at 0.5 per cent; it is now accepted that we will not hit the target until 2013. In any event, this target would only bring Britain up to the level of spending of the Jim Callaghan era of the late Seventies."
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/article335180.ece
It's so easy to stand up and say we will do this and then we will do that...while the spotlight is there...while the world is watching and can see what responsible nations we are. Not quite so easy to go away and actually put our little hands in our little pockets and pull out the farthing we promised.
I am reminded of the glorious caricatures of John and Fanny Dashwood.
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