It’s not just the economy, stupid.
It’s everything, stupid.

The Bucks Free Press are reporting my Conservative colleague Arif Hussain’s trip to assist in Pakistan:

COUNCILLOR Arif Hussain described his harrowing aid trip to flood-torn Pakistan as “hell on earth” – but has vowed to return to help the thousands of devastated families.

The Wycombe District Councillor flew out to Pakistan on August 14 as part of an 11-day aid and mercy mission with the High Wycombe-based Five Pillars charity.

I recommend the article if you wish to discover the extent of the devastation.

You can give via the DEC, UNICEF or the Red Cross.

Via Starving Zimbabweans face food aid cut | World news | guardian.co.uk :

The World Food Programme is to cut the core maize ration in February from 10kg to 5kg a month – or just 600 calories a day – for 7 million Zimbabweans, about 70% of the people left in the country. The recommended ration is 12kg a month.

As a result of the cuts, many Zimbabweans will be fortunate to eat once a day. Millions have been left dependent on food aid because of years of crop failures mostly caused by the knock-on effects of the government’s seizure of white-owned farms and the collapse of the economy and infrastructure. Most shops sell food only for US dollars because hyperinflation has wiped out the value of the Zimbabwe currency, and what is available is relatively expensive imports beyond the reach of the mass of unemployed and desperate Zimbabweans.

If you give via Tearfund, just £30 could provide a person with food for six months. 

Please, give now.