The Head of World Vision has called on the UK Government to spend money on fulfilling its promises to the poor instead of replacing its nuclear weapons system during the launch of a new Christian campaign to halve absolute poverty around the world.

|PIC1|The leaders of major Christian charities have challenged the Government to keep its promises to the poor at the launch of the 'Blow the Whistle' campaign in Westminster Thursday.

World Vision Chief Executive Charles Badenoch said at the launch that the Government could have taken moral leadership when it made its decision on Trident this week.

"The billions of pounds spent on arms could be spent alleviating world poverty," he said.

"Then we would not only have a more just world, but a more secure world."

'Blow the Whistle' comes at the halfway point for the Government to meet the promises it made in 2000 together with other world leaders at the United Nations' Millennium Summit to set the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), aiming to halve global poverty by 2015.

The campaign, run by the Micah Challenge coalition of churches and Christian charities, will put pressure on the Government and the international community to look at their progress on the MDGs so far and commit to greater action so that extreme poverty and hunger really are halved for the world's poor by 2015.

The launch was introduced by the chair of Christians in Parliament, Conservative MP for South West Bedfordshire Andrew Selous, and also supported by Andy Reed, Labour MP for Loughborough.

Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, said at Thursday's launch: "Our job is to remind governments that we're here to be critical partners, to help them fulfil their covenant to the poor."

'Blow the Whistle' will also mobilise Christians to get involved by finding out more about the issue of poverty, writing to the Government and challenging their MPs.

On May 20, Christians will join a major church event, 'Blow the Whistle Sunday', and literally blow whistles on June 2 in central London, just prior to the G8 meeting in Germany.

Rudo Kwaramba of World Vision, who formerly headed World Vision Zimbabwe, said: "I am praying for Christians to realise that we cannot just leave the work of lifting masses out of poverty to world leaders.

"World leaders must keep their promises and ordinary citizens, including Christians, must hold them to account."

Tear Fund Chief Executive Matthew Frost: "Blow the Whistle is a point-in-time campaign. We want to get the word out, to get many, many more Christians involved.

"We are encouraging people to engage their local MPs and their churches on this issue."