Catholic Union Deputy Director, James Somerville-Meikle, writes:
At the Catholic Union’s latest “Pub Talk” this week we heard from Catherine McKinnell MP. The Labour MP and Chair of a cross party group in Parliament that supports CAFOD’s work, spoke about the need for leadership on international development.
Ms McKinnell said that cutting the international aid budget to 0.5% of GDP was “short sighted” but acknowledged that Labour would find it difficult to instantly reverse the decision if in office.
While policy on international development has changed with different Governments, and sometimes within the same Government, the message of the Church has remained the same.
Perhaps this is why Ms McKinnell described groups like the Catholic Union and CAFOD as “beacons of solidarity” because of the consistent stand we have taken on the need to support the world’s poorest communities.
This week it was reported that the Government might be rowing back on a commitment to spend £11.6 billion on climate finance to help developing countries adapt to climate change. The message of the Church will be needed once again in making the case for why this funding is so necessary and timely.
International development is an area where the lay Church in particular is called to lead, with hope and prayer that others will follow.