Email Hilary Benn

The World Bank is under the spotlight again as it has started a new round of talks about how much money the UK and other countries give to it. But as the film Bamako has portrayed the policies of the IMF and World Bank are damaging poor countries.

Last year your campaigning caused a real stir at the World Bank - this year we're asking you to do it again! Find out what happened.

We are calling on the UK government to withhold money again from the World Bank. In March, the World Bank started talks to ask countries such as the UK to fund it for the next few years.

In 2005 the UK government said that poor countries should not be forced into opening up their markets and privatising their services. However the IMF and World Bank continue to do just this - and the UK continues to fund them. The government should be using this influence to get positive change.

The first of these critical meetings between the World Bank and the countries which fund it was held in March and the next will take place in late June, which is why we need you to send a message now to Hilary Benn, secretary of state for international development.

Send Hilary Benn an email now.

Read the message below. Change it if you wish. Then add your details in the form below. If you want to see how your message looks, click on the preview button. When you're happy with it, click send.

your message:

Dear Hilary Benn

Re: Put your money where your mouth is

Last year the UK government withheld £50 million of funding from the World Bank in protest at the damaging economic policy conditions it attaches to the loans and debt relief it gives to poor countries. This made the Bank sit up and take notice.

However, I am concerned that not much has changed for poor people. The World Bank still routinely makes controversial economic reforms like privatisation a condition of its lending to the poorest countries.

In 2005, the UK government said poor countries should not be forced to open their markets or privatise their services, but it is still one of the major funders of the World Bank - it gives around £500 million each year.

This year, the government has another opportunity to show it is serious about reforming these outdated policies. This month, the Bank launched a new round of talks to discuss funding. How much the UK gives and what it asks in return will be critical.

Please take this chance to use the UK's financial leverage and push for the end to all economic conditions attached to the loans the World Bank gives to poor countries. It's time to put your money where your mouth is.

Yours sincerely

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