Duke of Edinburgh dies

[Gofer Blue]

There is no argument, Wales has the worst child poverty in the UK

Some of the upper Bridgend valleys are amongst the poorest areas in Europe

The fact that there are kids starving to death or walking miles for water in parts of Africa means that there are kids worse off but isn't it very worrying that in the UK there is such a gulf in wealth ?

Kids in poverty in the UK die from malnutrition

Many more die from starvation in Africa but this isn't a race to the bottom

Of course - the food bank I am involved with is testament to this. I know it doesn't fit with your thinking but what xsnaggle and me are trying to say is that there is no comparison between what we define as poverty in the UK (Wales, Bridgend or wherever) and poverty in places like Uganda or India where I would argue the wealth gap is much bigger and of course there is no DWP type assistance for the poorest in those places. I think I'm right in saying that more than 1 billion people are "living" on one dollar a day. I could give lots of examples which I have personally witnessed which would be unheard of in the UK but as you say this is not a race to the bottom. A visit to Uganda (i.e. the real country not the safari parks and the other touristy stuff) might change your perspective I think.

[xsnaggle]

Of course - the food bank I am involved with is testament to this. I know it doesn't fit with your thinking but what xsnaggle and me are trying to say is that there is no comparison between what we define as poverty in the UK (Wales, Bridgend or wherever) and poverty in places like Uganda or India where I would argue the wealth gap is much bigger and of course there is no DWP type assistance for the poorest in those places. I think I'm right in saying that more than 1 billion people are "living" on one dollar a day. I could give lots of examples which I have personally witnessed which would be unheard of in the UK but as you say this is not a race to the bottom. A visit to Uganda (i.e. the real country not the safari parks and the other touristy stuff) might change your perspective I think.

I agree about places in Africa but the place I described is in UK.
I've seen grown men so dirty that there is literally black between their toes, men who haven't bathed for months, either because there is no hot water because the haven't the money to heat it up or because they have become so acclimatised to their living conditions that they don't notice any more. Just looking at some is enough to make you want to retch, and a lot of the women are just as bad.

I don't even want to think about this any more.