Fairtrade Begins At Home

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 2nd Mar 2006

Tower Hamlets Liberal Democrats have welcomed the Council's intention to promote the concept of Fairtrade and increase the availability of Fairtrade Products within the Borough. Cllr. John Griffiths, Shadow Lead Member for Regeneration warned, however, that: "The Council's Labour administration should be careful about trying to claim the moral high ground on this issue."

Fairtrade is just one important element that is key to achieving the wider goal of sustainable development. Cllr. Griffiths pointed out: "Tower Hamlets' record in terms of following the other guiding principles set out in the Government's sustainable development strategy "Securing our Future" is hardly anything to write home about."

He pointed out two examples where the Council's record leaves a lot to be desired. "On the first principle of sustainable development, "Living Within Environmental Limits" - this Local Authority has one of the worst records of any local council in the country for recycling waste."

"On the second principle of "Ensuring a strong and just society" - this Borough continues to have one of the highest rates of worklessness in the UK, and yet we live in an area that is creating more jobs than any other! How is that equitable?"

"Whilst the bleeding hearts in the Labour Group call for Fairtrade with the developing world, they choose to ignore the fact that the Eastend is still full of sweatshops that continue to exploit workers in appalling conditions, often for less than the minimum wage.

Meanwhile salaries in the Borough have soared to become the highest in Britain. Employees working in Tower Hamlets currently earn, on average, over £61,000 per year. Where, you might ask the Labour Party, is the fair trade in that?"