8,000 Trade Justice Campaigners Rally Parliament

More than 8,000 campaigners from across the UK united on Wednesday 2nd November 2005 in Westminster to challenge Prime Minister Tony Blair and highlight to him the generations of people across the world who are continuing to live in poverty until his promise to bring about trade justice are fulfilled.

|PIC1|As part of Blair’s election promises he told of how he would bring about new trade laws, allowing poor countries the chance to protect their markets. In follow up to this pledge, thousands of passionate campaigners brought a firm message to hundreds of MPs at the largest lobby of Britain’s Parliament this year.

The MPs were urged to oppose move to lever open markets in developing countries prior to the crucial World Trade Organisation talks in December, report the Trade Justice Movement (TJM).

Richard English, Campaign Manager of Oxfam said, “This lobby is a key moment for Make Poverty History and the campaign for Trade Justice. International trade rules must be weighted in favour of poor people and developing countries must not be forced to open their markets. We ask the government to stand by its promises and use its influence to allow developing countries to choose the policies needed to protect the livelihoods of poor people and the environment.”

In addition a Kenyan campaigner Eliud Ngunjiri, from the Resources Orientated Development Initiative, which is a partner with CAFOD said, “East African industries have twice collapsed in the past from our countries opening their markets. Which rich nation has not grown wealthy by protecting its own industries? Kenya should be allowed to develop at its own pace. I urge MPs to get your government to support us.”

Glen Tarman of the Trade Justice Movement said, “The UK and the EU will remain obstacles to trade justice unless they make urgent changes to their position on non-agricultural goods and services and the aggressive stance of our trading bloc in WTO negotiations. Campaigners are coming to London to meet their MP’s face to face in the biggest lobby of 2005. If we are to make poverty history through trade justice, the Government must respond and act now to stop free trade being imposed on any poor country.”

|QUOTE|This lobby is part of a mobilisation of hundreds of millions of people across the globe who are demanding that Prime Minister Tony Blair and other world leaders bring about a radical change to the way world trade is currently governed, and for a new system to be created which also benefits poor people and the environment, and not just the richer more powerful nations.

The London lobby will be supported by civil societies across Europe as national governments are lobbied for trade justice including a European wide lobby in Brussels on 21st November.

The huge campaign has been timed to add pressure to a gathering of Trade Ministers from the 25 EU nations on 21st-22nd November meeting for the last time to finalise the EU’s negotiating position for the crucial trade talks at the WTO in Hong Kong in December.

Despite unprecedented pressure, world leaders have so far failed to deliver the urgent action required for a just world trade system, report Christian Aid. Campaigners, however, remain determined to push for change.

|TOP|Over 600,000 people in the UK have already added their support to the Vote for Trade Justice, a special ballot calling on the Government to urgently deliver a just trade deal for the world’s poor.

Ruchi Tripathi, Head of Food Rights for ActionAid UK commented, “We have seen the impact of inappropriate liberalisation on communities in developing countries. For example Indian silk weavers and sari makers' livelihoods being destroyed by cheaper imports from abroad and in some cases lives being lost. We are heading for a development disaster unless rich countries allow poor countries to protect their industries and people.”


Currently the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which is the main international body that decides the rules that govern international trade promotes 'free trade' - getting rid of regulations that restrict big business or the free flow of goods. In the WTO there are 148 member countries that negotiate throughout the year on trade issues.

Every two years the WTO holds a major summit called a ministerial meeting, and its meeting is scheduled to take place in December in Hong Kong.