UK news archive

29.03.2005 UK spending on aid has crept up to 0.36% of national income, barely half of the UN target of 0.7%. The Department for International Development (DFID) says the target will be achieved, but not until 2013.

23.03.2005 The seemingly endless chain of announcements of cutbacks at the BBC is sending shockwaves around the world. Journalist groups standing up for quality public service broadcasting pledge to fight to save the BBC.
From: International Federation of Journalists

22.03.2005 A week of public meetings of campaigners across the country together with the threat of a protest outside its offices on World Water Day (today) has persuaded Biwater to throw in the towel on a bid for privatisation contracts in Ghana.

21.03.2005 How is the £300 million donated by the British people to the Tsunami Earthquake Appeal going to be spent? The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has announced the breakdown between immediate assistance and long term reconstruction.

17.03.2005 In a chilling foretaste of security plans for the Gleneagles G8 summit, Charles Clarke has today approved a 2 mile exclusion zone to protect the Derby meeting of G8 environment and development ministers.

17.03.2005 The new Digital Solidarity Fund has been launched this week, a modest but real achievement of the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). What should be the UK input to the Summit in Tunisia in November? How can UK civil society have its say? The British Council is facilitating an inclusive process.

15.03.2005 Finding a replacement MP for Paul Boeteng in Brent South poses a fresh challenge to Labour's poor record of minority representation in parliamant. In the recent selection process in West Ham, five shortlisted candidates from black and minority ethnic groups were rejected in favour of the single white candidate.

11.03.2005 The Iraq debacle has been immensely damaging to the British image overseas. A new report on the future of British diplomacy calls for new objectives; one suggestion is that the Department for International Development should relieve the Foreign Office of some of its duties.

11.03.2005 Development charities have been concerned that new plans for the BBC might permit the channel to dumb down to the depths of commercial TV stations. However, the green paper for a 10 year charter from 2006 includes "making UK audiences aware of international issues" amongst the core objectives.

11.03.2005 Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, says that the US is 25 years ahead of the UK in recognising the value of a diverse workforce. He therefore engaged Jesse Jackson to launch the new "Diversity Works" strategy for London.

10.03.2005 WWF-UK describes the government's new sustainable development strategy as a "radical new approach" and applauds the "huge opportunity for innovative UK businesses to move into new global markets".

09.03.2005 Tony Blair and Michael Howard both energetically boast of their plans to improve the NHS. Should these improvements come at the expense of fragile health systems in Africa? Remember to ask your local candidates why the NHS recruits African staff without compensating the countries who trained them.

08.03.2005 Government officials will soon be accountable for offsetting the carbon impacts of their flights. This and other promising measures announced in the new sustainable development strategy for the UK sound welcome, but will the government's green words really become green actions for a change?

08.03.2005 Ethnic minorities show great entrepreneurial flair and make a significant contribution to the UK economy, according to a new report sponsored by the DTI. Bangladeshis lead the way in their willingness to take business initiatives.

04.03.2005 Green shoots of common sense threaten the absurd world of farming subsidies as the government announces the new Environmental Stewardship scheme, under which farmers will receive payments for protecting rather than destroying wildife habitats.
From: Defra

03.03.2005 The Department for International Development (DFID) has announced that UK aid conditions for developing countries will switch from methods to results. Privatisation and trade liberalisation will no longer be imposed. The Minister, Hilary Benn, encourages other countries to follow suit - will US and Japan listen?

02.03.2005 The government's Climate Change Programme review ends today, a process overshadowed by the failure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in 8 years of power. An extension of the European emissions trading scheme to sectors of UK industry is amongst the recommendations presented by Friends of the Earth.

01.03.2005 Women's experience of violence in the UK is showing no sign of improvement, according to a new report. The government is failing to tackle the problem strategically and needs to integrate support mechanisms.