TIMES are bad financially, but life is clearly worse for more than a million victims of drought in east Africa.

Television pictures of starving and dying children have touched the hearts of British citizens and the government is also doing its best to help.

Development secretary Andrew Mitchell has announced a £52.5 million package of UK aid that it is hoped will save thousands of lives.

Unfortunately, there are lots of people out there who will resent the fact that the government millions are not being spent in this country.

It is a traditional view in some circles — wrongly so, in my opinion, when the human need is so obvious and overwhelming