Forty billionaires have pledged to give half their fortunesto charity through a campaign established by Microsoftboss Bill Gates and financier Warren Buffett.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and film mogul George Lucas are among the super-rich donors.Others have chosen to remain anonymous, but most of Britain’s billionaires are conspicuousby their absence.

Only supermarkettycoon Lord Sainsbury has signed the Giving Pledge.

It’s better to give: U.S. multi-billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have encouraged a team of 40 fellow billionaires to donate half their wealth to charity

Although we don’t have wealth on the American scale, there are said to be coincidentally40 peoplein this country who are worth more than