Are cashpoint handouts for foreign aid a good idea?

I WAS shocked to read about money being sent to Pakistan on pre-loaded cards (Mail). About ten years ago, my wife was forced to give up her job after suffering a reaction to prescription drugs. This left her unable to walk and work. She was given benefits to help us keep our heads above water. A few years later, I had to take early retirement on health grounds, so I lost 25 per cent of my teacher’s pension. But then the Government took away all my wife’s benefits, on which we relied, turning us into a couple of Mrs May’s JAMs — just about managing. So from a professional couple with a comfortable lifestyle, we have become struggling pensioners — while the Government sends our taxes to Pakistan, a country with nuclear weapons. You couldn’t make it up. name supplied, Bishop auckland, co. Durham. I WAS appalled by your front-page picture. Surely you realise that photographs such as the one shown of men queueing at cashpoints impact on families living in Britain and that increasing numbers of children are suffering racist abuse? Your paper is read by people who think they are clever, but who are not. As you can imagine, I do not and never have bought your newspaper (and so have not read the article), but make a point of looking at the front page when I am in a supermarket or newsagent’s. I don’t know how you sleep at night and hope you realise how fortunate your children are to be born white and British. I’ll never change. I hope you do.

name and address supplied. KEEP up your campaign against wasted foreign aid until it’s won. I fail to see why so much has to be in cash (which will likely lead to waste and corruption). Surely it is better to supply goods and machinery and send experts to educate poorer nations? Instead of the EU paying farmers not to grow some crops, let our farmers grow more and let foreign aid pay them to do so and to ship it where it is needed. Let our university graduates work off some of their student debts by doing field work.

GeorGe Speechley, lymington, hants.