Falling pound is no excuse to neglect poor, says Edwards

The dropping value of the pound against the Euro must not be used as an excuse for governments to neglect their promises to the poor, said Micah Challenge’s new International Director.

The Rev Joel Edwards spoke at his UK commissioning as Director of Micah Challenge International, a movement of Christians calling governments to account to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

“We may fear for the value of the pound in the brink of a recession but it has as much value as ever when it comes to the help it can bring for poor communities around the world”, he said.

“The clear message from church leaders in the UK and around the world, to our governments is this: keep your promises to the poor.

“To revise our promises on the basis of domestic self interest is a natural political response but it is a retrograde step.”

He added: “The poor should not become invisible because we are hurting.”

Mr Edwards also called on churches to elevate care for the poor above their choirs and worship bands to make it part of their core business.

The UK commissioning event, held at London Institute of Contemporary Christianity and hosted by Micah Challenge UK, saw key church leaders sign a letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling the British Government not to let the financial crisis deter them from standing by their commitments to the Millennium Development Goals.

Andy Clasper, Executive Director of Micah Challenge UK said: “Micah Challenge is bringing churches and charities together to campaign at critical times in the months ahead to ensure that leaders around the world are held to the commitments made in the MDGs.”

Micah Challenge is a global Christian campaign whose aims are to challenge international leaders of both rich and poor countries, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and so halve global poverty by 2015.