The economic issue is the heart of the matter; too many people in Britain have struggled on in want and relative poverty for far too long. If those who claim they are genuinely concerned about economic disparity in Britain are genuinely concerned, they will be prepared to accept that for some economic parity in Britain, there must be a change in wage structures, tax structures, state pension structures, a general lowering of prices for basic goods and services, re-nationalisation of public transport and a levelling of wage disparity between the well off middle classes and the poorer working classes, amongst other things. Any thing less than this, will not bring about economic justice. You have to be prepared to put your money were your mouth is. The reality is that to wipe out poverty in Britain, wealth has to be more fairly distributed, and in many ways. This is the stark reality; poor people don’t want charity, they want a fair chance to prosper and get on like everyone else. ECONOMIC JUSTICE, NOT CHARITY!

Increased taxes must be placed on the wealthy, landowners, judges and politicians and the like, and especially vastly wealthy corporations and international businesses. The increased tax on the wealthy is just, simply for the reason that those who are already wealthy will not miss an increase in tax on their already high incomes or full banks accounts. Even this tax must be just and fair and not punitive or punishing, though. And, and I feel I get to the nub of the jist here, some serious emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that most poverty IS artificial in Britain as elsewhere, and could be seriously ended if people were prepared to live within their means. That means that the poor could aspire to a decent living, the middle class on the high salaries could be content and not continually wanting more and more, and the wealthy must pay a higher level of tax. Living within means is the duty of every right-minded person.

Sooner or later, if we want to write the debt off for Africa, we will need to ask when are we going to write off the debt for the poor in Britain, and of course other wealthy developed countries. And we might also ask, why if we challenge poverty in other parts of the world, do we not challenge the growing poverty in wealthy countries?

There is too much pretension about poverty in Africa. Africa has become the ‘Philosophers Stone’ of poverty, no matter how much money is poured into it, we know that all poverty will not be ended there. However, we must tackle the worst of poverty in Africa, and be honest about tackling it. But I feel that for too long, Africa is used in some way so as to ignore the basic problems of poverty in Britain and elsewhere, and that shouting about Africa, means that poverty in Britain is drowned out or shouted down. This is not acceptable. Is ‘Make Poverty History’ only applicable to Africa, or do the concerned and the demo marchers and the anti-capitalists at Gleneagles want to challenge poverty everywhere? Do we want to challenge economic injustice in Britain, or isn’t this ‘on the agenda’? I wonder. It is true that poverty in Africa and the rest of the undeveloped world is far more savage and life threatening than in Europe and the US, but there has to be a balance of concern, and justice must prevail in Africa as well as elsewhere.

It has to be understood, and understood clearly, that the same people controlling masses of wealth in Africa are kindred to the same people controlling masses of wealth in Britain and the West. In one part of town, there is unemployment, poverty, want, unfulfilled aspirations of every kind and even lack of basic amenities, and in another part of town there is wealth, privilege, opulence, and people living well beyond their means, and having more money than they could spend in 10, 20 even a 100 or more lifetimes. If we saw one person at a table, a table full of very kind of wonderful food, and we knew that that one person could not possibly eat all the food without becoming sick or ill, would we not invite others to at least have a bite too? This is the picture of wealth and poverty in the whole world. When will more of us be allowed to sit at the table?

I address this letter to everyone who is genuinely concerned about poverty and economic injustice. If even one other person is moved after reading this, to really think about global poverty, and to see global means global and worldwide, it has achieved its purpose. Don’t think about how much you can take, think how much can you put back.