×

Our award-winning reporting has moved

Context provides news and analysis on three of the world’s most critical issues:

climate change, the impact of technology on society, and inclusive economies.

Developing nations want Lib Dems to rule Britain - activists

by olesya-dmitracova | Thomson Reuters Foundation
Wednesday, 5 May 2010 15:02 GMT

LONDON (AlertNet) - Developing countries want the Liberal Democrats to win in BritainÂ?s election, according to the results of an election campaign run in three nations affected by BritainÂ?s foreign, aid and climate change policies.

Activist group Egality invited British voters in March to give their right to vote to someone in Ghana, Afghanistan or Bangladesh. The volunteers will receive a text message on Wednesday evening telling them who wants them to vote for which party.

The Liberal Democrats won 51 percent of AfghansÂ?, GhanaiansÂ? and BangladeshisÂ? vote. Labour came in second with 26 percent and the Conservatives third with 21 percent in the May 6 election.

Â?I voted for the Liberal Democrats because of their pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2050. For many Bangladeshis - particularly the climate migrants - the policies of countries like the UK on climate change are very important,Â? Bangladeshi human rights activist Atique Chowdhury was quoted as saying on the campaignÂ?s website.

Sabrina Saqeb, a member of the Afghan parliament, criticised British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for his policies in her country, where Britain has 9,500 troops.

Â?We feel very excluded from the process of decision-making, with leaders around the world engaging on our behalf. For me the Liberal Democrats offered the most hope of a new different relationship between the Afghan people and the UK,Â? she was cited as saying.

An Egality spokeswoman declined to say how many Britons had donated their votes. Â?ItÂ?s about the idea. The numbers are not important,Â? she said.

In March the group said it expected thousands to register.

To help would-be voters in the participating countries decide who to vote for, Egality summarised relevant policies laid out in the manifestos of BritainÂ?s Conservative, Labour and

href=Â?http://giveyourvote.org/news/lib-dem-manifesto-lowdown-radical-cleggs-pledgesÂ? target=Â?newÂ?>Liberal Democrat parties.

And over the past month workshops and debates were held in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Ghana.

Britain is one of the worldÂ?s biggest donors of development aid, with the government saying it donated 7.37 billion pounds ($11.18 billion) in 2009.

Click

href=Â?http://alertnet.org/db/an_art/20316/2010/03/15-161558-1.htmÂ? target=Â?newÂ?>here to read about some of the key policies outlined in the manifestos of BritainÂ?s three major parties, as well as their answers to questions posed by anti-poverty group

ONE.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

-->