Cutting aid to the helpless

Sir, – The news of the abuse of vulnerable women and children by charity workers is deeply disturbing and shocking.

However, if it wasn’t for the work done by the vast, vast majority of those employed by these agencies, many people, especially children, would be receiving no support in disaster zones or war-torn countries across the world.

These agencies are, of course, funded by the taxpayer, with the UK Government spending £13 billion – 0.7 per cent of GDP – on overseas aid.

The danger, of course, is that following these incidents, not only do people limit their charitable giving, but so does the UK Government.

It is only right that those charities who fail to cooperate with the UK Government over safeguarding against aid workers’ abusive behaviour should lose money.

However, it would be a travesty and a gross dereliction of duty if the Tory Government, under pressure from its right wing fraternity, reduced funding to the world’s most vulnerable.

We have already had the sight of ‘MP for the 18th Century’ and Tory leadership hopeful Jacob Rees-Mogg handing in a “charity begins at home” petition to Downing Street, demanding that foreign aid be slashed.

It would be an utter disgrace if the right wing, already buoyed by its success in delivering tax breaks for the very wealthy, were to succeed and we were to reduce our aid budget, abandoning our duty to help the poorest and most vulnerable.

What is almost certain is that if this were to prove successful, it will be the poorer people closer to home that will be next in seeing their support cut. Alex Orr. 77 Leamington Tce, Edinburgh.