George Alagiah hosts Hackney debate on international aid

George Alagiah hosted the debate on international aid at St Peter's Church, N1. Photo: Paul Bolding

Hackney local and BBC newsreader George Alagiah chaired a debate about on international aid last Friday (29 October) at St Peter’s Church, de Beauvoir Town.

Alagiah was joined by Gideon Rabinowitz, coordinator for the UK Aid Network and Giles Bolton, head of ethical trading policy at Tesco, for a discussion about whether international aid is working.

The debate took place hot on the heels of the ring-fencing of international aid in the Comprehensive Spending Review and focussed on whether it was time to rethink the approach to international aid at a time of severe domestic spending cuts.

International development spending was ringfenced by the coalition government soon after it came to power, and it has confirmed that the aid budget will increase to 0.7% of gross national income from 2013.

Along with producing a lively debate with an audience of around 300, the event raised around £150 to go towards the re-building of the church’s crypt.

Alagiah chaired a similar debate at the church last year on sustainable food production.