Mark puts Cheadle residents' views to Commissioner

12.56.27pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 8th Dec 2005

Mark meets Cheadle campaigners at Parliament

Cheadle MP Mark Hunter last week met European Commissioner Peter Mandelson for face-to-face talks about the forthcoming World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations due to start next week in Hong Kong (starts 13th Dec).

Mark had travelled to Brussels as part of a delegation from the House of Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee to meet with Mandelson and senior officials at the European Parliament. The Committee is conducting an official inquiry into the European Commission's negotiating strategy for the WTO Hong Kong Summit.

Speaking after the meting, Mark said, "It was great to have the opportunity to meet Commissioner Mandelson in person because I was able to emphasise to him how strongly many Cheadle people feel about trade justice issues. I was also able to impress on him how concerned a lot of local people are about the outcomes of the Hong Kong summit."

"Only recently, a group of Make Poverty history campaigners from across Cheadle constituency visited me in Parliament as part of a mass lobby to encourage all MPs to take every opportunity to press the case for trade justice. I was delighted to meet them and pledge my support to the cause."

"Although this is a global issue and one that can ultimately only be resolved through delicate negotiations between nations, it is striking just how many local residents have become actively involved in the fight to make poverty history and part of my job is to try and make certain their views are heard. Certainly I will continue to do all I can to help and support this campaign both locally and nationally."