The Blog Editorial team received a call this morning from a reader and resident of West Yorkshire pointing out that immediately after the Tsunami in the far east in December 2004 there was, quite rightly, an overwhelming response for emergancy aid from the people of the UK; collecting tins were at the end of ever supermarket check out and easy paying in facilities provided at every 'high street' bank. The response by people to the immeadiate financial consequences devastating flooding much closer to home in parts of Yorkshire, the Midlands and the North has been non existent.
.
MEP Timothy Kirkhope has raised the matter of applying for relief from the £700m-a-year European Union Solidarity Fund. But, according to The Independent, he has 10 weeks in which to apply and then the UK only qualifies for aid if the damage exceeds £2 billion.
.
MEP Timothy Kirkhope has raised the matter of applying for relief from the £700m-a-year European Union Solidarity Fund. But, according to The Independent, he has 10 weeks in which to apply and then the UK only qualifies for aid if the damage exceeds £2 billion.
.
According to the BBC, the Association of British Insurers is saying that the overall cost of the floods will run into hundreds of millions. That, it seems is not anything like enough to enable us to trigger an application, even if local and national government costs are taken into account. Apparently the fund is intended only to provide immediate emergency aid "permitting the resumption of everyday life", such as temporary accommodation or provisional repairs to power lines and other vital services - but not for private or business losses.
.
At the moment, therefore, it looks like the UK hasn't had enough rain to benefit from an EU handout, (well actually to get some more of our own money back) which means the Europhiles are deprived of an opportunity of boring everyone with another example of how lucky we are to be members of the European Union.
In the meantime on the grounds that Charity starts at home (and every little helps) there is a need for a damage support funds for more than just a few people and some very devastated small business.
In the meantime on the grounds that Charity starts at home (and every little helps) there is a need for a damage support funds for more than just a few people and some very devastated small business.
.
1 comment:
Very True, charity does begin at home but theres still no evidence of it happening.
Whats the matter with everyone and why are the press not making this point known?
Post a Comment