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Forums - General - UK threatens to cut aid over gay rights

sad.man.loves.vgc on 31 October 2011

Britain will consider withholding aid from countries that do not recognise gay rights, Prime Minister David Cameron said, after Commonwealth leaders failed to adopt reforms on the issue.

"Britain is now one of the premier aid givers in the world. We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights, and that includes how people treat gay and lesbian people," Cameron told the BBC.

He added: "British aid should have more strings attached, in terms of do you persecute people for their faith or their Christianity, or do you persecute people for their sexuality. We don't think that's acceptable."

Cameron was speaking at the end of a Commonwealth leaders' summit on Sunday, in Perth, western Australia, which failed to adopt a recommendation to call for an end to homophobic laws in 41 member nations.

He insisted the issue of gay rights had been discussed at the summit and he had personally raised it with "a number of the African countries that I've been speaking with," although he would not say which ones.

"We've been raising the issue consistently, we've been raising it here at this Commonwealth heads of government (summit)," he said.

However, Cameron said change would not happen overnight, saying: "They are in a different place from us on this issue. ... I think these countries are all on a journey and it's up to us to try and help them along on that journey."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/cameron-threatens-cut-aid-over-gay-rights-151144610.html



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NiKKoM on 31 October 2011

Shouldn't he like... worry more about the UK first? >_>



 

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HappySqurriel on 31 October 2011

Depending on how "Gay Rights" are defined, I think this is entirely acceptable and appropriate ...

In my opinion, western developed nations should not be supporting countries that reject values we consider essential. While there is a healthy debate on gay marriage and similar issues in western countries, the vast majority of people believe that individuals should be entitled to live their life as a homosexual free from persecution by the state.



NotStan on 31 October 2011

Cameron is a dickwad tbh.

Not that I am against Gay rights or anything, but really, it's country's own business how they go about with the rights et all, really need to stop meddling in external affairs and do something right about UK.



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forest-spirit on 31 October 2011
NiKKoM said:
Shouldn't he like... worry more about the UK first? >_>


I think so too.



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Squall_Leonhart on 31 October 2011

Yeah, he should deal with the UK first and get this country back into some sort of order before dealing with other countries... I mean honestly the amount that we give in aid each year is astounding... too much some might say...



Andrespetmonkey on 31 October 2011
NotStan said:
Cameron is a dickwad tbh.

Not that I am against Gay rights or anything, but really, it's country's own business how they go about with the rights et all, really need to stop meddling in external affairs and do something right about UK.

I disagree, I think encouraging human rights is the right thing to do. It's hardly meddling in external affairs, it's not direct, just encouragement of gay rights, will actually save the UK some money.



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Andrespetmonkey on 31 October 2011
Squall_Leonhart said:
Yeah, he should deal with the UK first and get this country back into some sort of order before dealing with other countries... I mean honestly the amount that we give in aid each year is astounding... too much some might say...

This would lead to us giving out less aid, so actually, wouldn't that save more money for the UK?



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NotStan on 31 October 2011
Andrespetmonkey said:
NotStan said:
Cameron is a dickwad tbh.

Not that I am against Gay rights or anything, but really, it's country's own business how they go about with the rights et all, really need to stop meddling in external affairs and do something right about UK.

I disagree, I think encouraging human rights is the right thing to do. It's hardly meddling in external affairs, it's not direct, just encouragement of gay rights, will actually save the UK some money.


Really, I wouldn't doubt that Cameron gives even less shit about gay's rights than the Saudi Arabia's king, it's just a whole media fiasco to attempt to get the gay vote in UK, god know he needs it after the whole fiasco versus women which he is still trying to fix - by sitting his conservative women MP's behind him on the podium for all media to see.

It won't do anything, empty threats, instead of making those he should be running the country more effectively rather than screwing it over, reform after reform.



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TruckOSaurus on 31 October 2011
NotStan said:
Cameron is a dickwad tbh.

Not that I am against Gay rights or anything, but really, it's country's own business how they go about with the rights et all, really need to stop meddling in external affairs and do something right about UK.

Well, the UK should have the right to choose who they give money/aid to so I don't see the "meddling in external affairs".



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