International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill

Debate between Mike Weir and Mark Reckless

Friday 5th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mark Reckless]

I am aware that there is a significant number of people in that category, and I pay tribute to what many of them do through their private charity in choosing to give their own money to charitable causes, whether here or overseas. But that is not what we are talking about here. We are talking about taking away money from our constituents under threat of law and forcibly transferring it overseas. I say again that reputable polling on what our constituents believe shows that two thirds of them want to reduce overseas aid and only 7% fall into the category that contains almost everyone in this Chamber, who want it to increase.

[Mr Mike Weir (Angus) (SNP)]

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

[Mark Reckless]

No, I want to finish my point.

I say again that that polling is simply ignored by a cosy cartel of establishment parties that put aside what their constituents want and displace it with what they want instead—