Councillor changes party policy in first Conference speech

A HINCKLEY and Bosworth Borough Councillor has successfully changed his Party's policy in his debut speech at their national Autumn Conference.

Councillor Mathew Hulbert, who represents Barwell, moved an amendment to a motion on Reducing Poverty and Discrimination at the Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference held in Glasgow.

The amendment, which received unanimous backing from fellow delegates, called on the Party to officially back the Fairtrade movement and, where possible, for Fairtrade products to be used in the Parliamentary estate.

Councillor Hulbert is Hinckley and Bosworth's Fairtrade Champion and co-founded a group to promote the cause in his party called Lib Dem Fairtrade Future, recognised by the Fairtrade Foundation (the governing body of Fairtrade in the UK) as the first national grassroots Fairtrade movement in any major political party in the Country.

The speech was covered live on national TV network BBC Parliament.

Councillor Hulbert says, "Wanting to combat poverty, both here and in the Developing World, was one of the main reasons I got involved in politics, so to be able to speak in that debate and successfully change my Party's policy so it includes support for the Fairtrade movement was a real honour.

"Buying products with the official Fairtrade label on them ensures Developing World farmers and developers get paid a fairer wage and get to live and work in better conditions."

"I'm so proud that, here in Hinckley and Bosworth, we're an official Fairtrade Borough and have a fantastic group of volunteers in our local Fairtrade Forum who work, year in and year out, to promote Fairtrade goods-and the ethical message behind them-throughout the area."

Whilst also at the Conference Councillor Hulbert met with Lynne Featherstone MP, the Lib Dem Minister in the Department for International Development, and the two Patrons of Lib Dem Fairtrade Future, Party President Tim Farron MP and Greg Mulholland, the MP for Leeds North West, to talk about Fairtrade and international aid issues.

Councillor Hulbert can be followed on Twitter via: @HulbertMathew and Lib Dem Fairtrade Future can be followed via: @LDFairtrade.