Drum home our message

St Mary's Twyford, St James Ruscombe, and the United Reformed Church, Twyford

The Make Poverty History message was drummed home in Twyford on Saturday, 8 July, when seventy trade justice campaigners gathered in London Road witnessed by local MP Mrs Theresa May and Councillor Stephen Conway as part of a nationwide world record attempt to have the largest simultaneous drumming event in the UK.

At noon sixty six campaigners beat out with other campaigners across the country a common rhythm in a bid to beat the world record for the largest simultaneous percussion orchestra. They were calling for the UK government to cut funding to two international organisations – the World Bank and International Monetary Fund – until they reform.

Trade Justice?

A new report by Christian Aid warns that despite previous commitments from the IMF and the World Bank to give poor countries more freedom to choose their own trade policies, little of substance has changed.

It shows how the IMF and the World Bank's activities are undermining democracy both nationally and internationally. Strings attached to loans make governments more accountable to their financiers than to their local populations. Sometimes government decrees that bypass parliaments have been made an explicit condition for receiving IMF loans.

World Bank and IMF conditions that force poor countries to liberalise unilaterally are also undermining their position at the World Trade Organisation. It makes a mockery of the principle of negotiated agreements and undermines the flexibility that poor countries are supposed to receive under WTO agreements..

Christian Aid is calling for the IMF and World Bank to

ensure their activities support rather than undermine democratic processes
stop all economic policy conditionality :
grant loans to countries based on assessment of the specific circumstances in each country rather than an ideological commitment to liberalisation.

We want Gordon Brown and Hilary Benn (the UK's men at the IMF and World Bank) to use their power, position and influence to the benefit of poor countries. Will you join us (and Theresa May) in Twyford Village Centre on Saturday 8 July to demand answers from Brown and Benn?

Can we right corporate wrongs?

Two-thirds of world trade is carried out by multi-national corporations, many of whom have now become richer and more powerful than some national governments. Multinational corporations can be a force for good - providing jobs, boosting the economy and helping to protect the environment. But some do more harm than good. There are too many instances where irresponsible behaviour by UK companies has caused harm to poor communities, abused workers' rights and caused environmental damage.

We now have a unique opportunity to hold companies to account as the UK government decides on new laws for UK companies. The proposed Companies Law Reform Bill is being presented to Parliament and we can help by asking our MP to ensure that the Bill does all it can to make companies respect the rights of people and the planet.

When multinational companies are not held accountable for their social and environmental impacts, their business operations can keep people in poverty, as well as lead to human rights abuses and environmental damage. Global businesses also wield great political influence and play a role in shaping government policies at national, regional and international level. For example it is usually multinational companies who demand, and benefit most from, international trade agreements. These companies and their powerful lobby groups push for free (not fair) trade policies to get access to new markets and cheap labour.

The proposed Bill obliges directors to put profits of shareholders above all other concerns, whilst having regard to the interests of employees, the community and the environment. It does not oblige directors to act to address problems when environmental and social needs conflict with the obligation to make a profit. We must act to change that.

Will you join us in asking Theresa May to seek to amend the Companies Law Reform Bill so that:

Companies become transparent by being legally required to report on their social and environmental impacts
Directors become responsible by being legally obliged to minimise any damage their company does to local communities and the environment
Companies become accountable by making people overseas whom are harmed by the activities of a UK company able to take action against them in a UK court.

We will present to Theresa any cards or letters about this Bill that you have not been able to post.

We plan to ask Theresa to

Write to Rt Hon. Alun Michael MP (Minister responsible for the Bill)
Sign Early Day Motion 697 on "Modernising Company Law"
Support the Trade Justice Movement amendments to the Bill.

A prayer for places of conflict in the world

Lord grant us peace:

Not the partial peace of silent guns,

But the fulfilled peace of lasting security.

Not the uneasy peace of people under control,

But the deep peace of justice experienced by all.

Not the tense peace that wonders what will happen next,

But the rich peace of nations, tribes and people as one.

Lord grant us peace,

And create in the hearts of humankind

A desire to see all people living in justice and safety.

Amen.