MORE than 30 campaigners from Watford and Abbots Langley were among 10,000 lobbyists who joined a peaceful demonstration outside the House of Commons to campaign against unfair trade rules on poor countries.

Supporters of charities and groups such as Oxfam, Christian Aid and Friends of the Earth met with the Trade for Justice Lobby to campaign on Wednesday, June 19.

The event was one of the biggest ever lobby of Parliament and its members called for poor countries to be allowed to export their goods to rich countries free from trade barriers and unfair subsidies that disadvantage them.

Campaigners also want a change in trade rules so that governments can regulate foreign investors in the interest of poverty reduction for their people.

The current rules in place allow huge companies to dominate poorer countries.

MPs travelled by foot and by rickshaw to meet their constituents in the demonstration.

Watford MP Claire Ward, MP met the campaigners from Watford and Abbots Langley in Embankment Gardens to discuss the issues.

Mr Leslie Beckett, 70, of Hampermill Lane, Oxhey, was among the campaigners, who met Miss Ward.

He said: "I am part of Oxfam World Development Movement but there were more than 40 organisations that arranged the demonstration.

"Of the people coming from Watford, some I had never met before that day, but we all went up together. Claire Ward was very supportive. It was very impressive to see more than 150 MPs all talking to their constituents at the same time around the River Thames.

"People there wanted to make their point and I think they did. We want people to think about and realise the effect of things like privatising water has on poorer countries and how US food subsidies destroy agriculture in places like Ghana.

"People in Italy and France have subsidies so it's cheaper to buy Italian tomatoes than it is to buy them from Ghana.

"Subsidies can prevent people from having stable industries."

June 25, 2002 16:00