Ignore the wider world at your peril

December 2002

I was reminded by two debates last week that while we are often preoccupied with our everyday concerns, we also need to think more about the wider world as well - because if we don’t, it will come back to haunt us.

In the City Council, last Tuesday, I proposed a motion on Fairtrade. The Fairtrade mark on products ensures that producers in poorer countries of coffee, tea, fruit and many other items have been paid a decent price that both covers the costs of sustainable production and ensures workers have good working conditions and pay. My motion means the Council will now make Fairtrade products available to its staff and at its meetings and promote their wider use in Portsmouth. And it followed much hard work by the Portsmouth Fair Trade Forum – three of whose members made very effective deputations to the Council.

Between 1994 and 2000, the price of a pound of coffee beans collapsed from 180 cents to 17 cents. In Columbia, as a result, a few farmers who were previously growing coffee are now turning to coca from which we get cocaine. Many more may be tempted to follow suit if they can’t get a fair price for their coffee. And in Costa Rica by forming a co-operative and selling the some of their coffee on the Fairtrade market, farmers there have been able to send more of their children to secondary school and university.

On Monday I voted in Parliament for the Lib Dem amendment on Iraq which was also supported by 32 rebel Labour MPs. This argued any military action against Iraq should only follow a fresh mandate from the United Nations. I believe if Britain and America were to act alone, it would be highly dangerous. It would have destabilising effect on the Middle East and help terrorist and extremist organisations recruit new members. There is no excuse for terrorism or for drug trafficking. But by thinking of our fellow citizens around the world – whether it is when we buy a cup of coffee or when the Government makes decisions – we can help make these evils less likely to take root.