As a follow up to the debate between Owen Barder and Kevin Watkins about development, party politics and the Conservative Party’s Green Paper on international development, readers might be interested in supporting the ONE campaign’s efforts to get the three main UK political parties to go on the record about their policies on tackling global poverty.
The questions that the ONE campaign is asking the political parties to respond to (and thus provide a basis for holding them to account …) are:
1. Global leadership
With the UN’s September Summit focusing on extreme poverty and the Millennium Development Goals, there is a historic opportunity for progress. How will you make the most of this opportunity?
2. The UK’s promise
If elected, what would you do to ensure the UK delivers on its commitment to give 0.7% of Gross National Income as development assistance?
3. Climate and development
What would you do to secure a global climate deal that helps people living in poverty and would you ensure that climate funding is additional to current and promised aid flows?
4. Improving aid
UK development assistance is well respected, but are there ways in which you would increase its effectiveness?
5. Security and development
What is your position on using development funding for security operations?
6. Investment in Africa
How would you ensure private sector investment in Africa helps to reduce poverty?