ELLESMERE Port MP Andrew Miller has launched a national campaign in the constituency to help people living with Aids in Africa.

The campaign is collecting a million signatures to petition the European Commission in Brussels to find another five billion euros (£3 billion) a year to tackle Aids in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr Miller said: 'Aids is devastating sub-Saharan Africa and there are already 10 million children orphaned as a result. This is probably the most urgent moral challenge facing the world today.

'There are 25 million people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and in the last year over 2 million people died due to Aids.

'Three billion pounds will help to keep HIV-positive Africans alive by providing antiretroviral drugs and the healthcare systems to deliver them. The campaign seeks to find this money through a reform of Europe's Common Agricultural Policy.'

He added: 'The money could be most easily found by cutting the taxpayers' subsidies given to Europe's richest farmers.

'The largest 2% of farms get 24% of the Common Agricultural Policy, getting at least £30,000 a year each in taxpayers subsidy.

'Oxfam estimate, for example, that seven of Britain's richest men, collectively take over £2m a year in payouts from the European Union.

'Halving that state subsidy to people who hardly need it would liberate £3 billion a year to help keep people alive who would otherwise die. And 98% of EU farmers - many of whom do need support - will not have any subsidy removed under this initiative.'

The campaign will make the first use of a new provision in the EU Treaty on the Constitution which says that a million signatures on a petition can trigger the European Commission into action.

Mr Miller said: 'There should be strong political pressure on the EU Commission and the European Council to respond to the moral force of a campaign which uses a democratic mechanism they all agreed to set up.

'I am hoping to gain support from local churches for this petition and hope some will have copies of the petition available to sign over the New Year period.

'The petition can also be signed at my constituency office in Whitby Park. Please telephone 0151 357 3019 for details of opening hours, or online at www.helpafricapetition.com.

'I do hope that the whole of Ellesmere Port & Neston will rally and offer its support to this immensely worthwhile initiative.'