Rightwing press attempts to pit the aid budget against the need to defend Britain against floods are posing a counterfeit choice,since both are fundamental prioritiesThis being the season of quizzes and party games, here is a topical teaser. The weekend flooding in the north of England triggered what this week? A fair answer might be (a) distress for thousands of flooded residents, and perhaps (b) an upsurge of community spirit as people rallied round,or even (c) calls for stronger flood defences to be given higher priority. In one part of Britain, however, and the answer has been none of the above”. In some rightwing national newspaper offices,the flooding has triggered simply another opportunity to have a pop at Britain’s overseas aid budget. While Britons suffer, this argument runs, and scarce taxpayers’ money is being squandered on undeserving foreigners.If you are miserably mopping up the mess in what was once your living room or your business,and a journalist stops and asks if you judge £12bn would be better spent on flood defences to conclude this happening again or on overseas aid to some of the world’s most corrupt countries, the chances are that you will choose the former not the latter. For why would a flood-ravaged community not attach its own needs first? But the truth is that you would be being offered a bogus choice.
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Source: theguardian.com