Gordon Brown, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer has followed up his much publicised support for the church-influenced Make Poverty History campaign by making a call for all rich nations to "take the first historic step in delivering full debt relief for the debt-burdened countries". The request came at a recent United Nations meeting, at which, Chancellor Brown spoke about a new five-point plan to aid developing countries.

Brown’s speech was also supported by a new £2.4 billion initiative that will be used to boost health and education for children suffering in some of the poorest countries in the world.

The backing of churches, faith groups and NGO’s is being sought by Brown so that the UN’s Millennium Development Goals to eradicate world poverty can be fulfilled. Brown has made well-known his intentions that Britain would use its influence as the president of the G8 group of industrialised democratic countries to be used to bring about a vast change.

Brown stated, "I believe that in this year we, the international community, can agree a plan for a new deal between developed and developing countries as bold and as generous as the Marshall plan of the 1940s."

The attack on poverty by Brown has been laid pout in the following five-point plan:

1) Matching 100% bilateral debt relief with financing 100% relief of the debt owed by the poorest countries to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the African Development Bank.

2) Setting up the international finance facility to raise the additional 50 billion US dollars a year.

3) A comprehensive plan to tackle HIV/Aids, including a global advance purchasing scheme for vaccines, treatment for all those who need it and the development of essential health care systems.

4) A new proposal for schooling by 2015 for the 105 million children denied education throughout the world.

5) Drawing up new ideas to help poorer countries improve their capacity to trade, while ensuring the Doha trade round is the first in history to favour developing countries.

Aid agencies have warmly embraced the pro-active efforts of Brown, but many have re-emphasised their aims to ensure that the current workings are just the start of a full-scale assault on world poverty.