Make Trade Fair

Comment for Oxfam Launch 08-04-02

‘I’ve given my full support to Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign because I’m convinced of the global benefits of genuine liberal trade.

‘But more to the point, world trade should be dramatically reformed because over one billion people are living in desperate poverty, with their economies stifled by biased trade rules that favour the world’s richest nations.

‘I don’t want future generations to look back on “Globalisation” as the “New Colonialism”.

‘My definition of globalisation definitely doesn’t include the covert colonialism entailed in high tariff barriers, subsidies that flood the global market with surpluses, and unstable, artificially depressed commodity prices.

‘The World Trade Organisation needs to do more to promote fair competition, and that includes strengthening international action against the growing concentration of powerful corporate monopolies that build their success on their exploitation of cheap labour.

‘World-wide, if we agreed to reduce subsidies common to areas such as fossil fuel production and agriculture, that would open markets to poorer countries’ exports, boost their economies and reduce environmental damage.

‘The WTO referees global trade. We need it to ensure impartial, fair competition in the global arena. This playing field should have been levelled years ago, but the Liberal Democrats are determined to keep campaigning to establish a firm foundation for world trade.’

ENDS.

This article published: 18/09/2023

Published by Bath Liberal Democrats, 31 James St West, Bath, BA1 2BT. Printed and hosted by JPC Infonet, 2 St Georges Works, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8AA. Your Privacy.