Cllr Clarke has in the past led one to suspect that she is a Christian (at any rate she is on record as describing atheists as “godless heathens”), so what particular part of Scripture and Bible teaching has she been drawing upon to regard fair dealing and a non-exploitative relationship with Third World producers as being out of kilter with Christian values? How on earth does she reconcile her faith with the inane and stupid comment she made that Fairtrade is “a whim”. She, and her apologists in the local Conservative Party, ought to have the good grace and courage to come on this website and account for themselves, and answer the points that i have made!

The argument that it would “cost too much” was neatly countered by LibDem councilllor Brian Pollock, who had done some research to discover that some fairtrade items could be sourced cheaper than the non-fairtrade items from the Council’s existing supplier! He then followed this up by offering that any residual additional cost to the Council would be paid for BY the LibDem councillors!! There woud therefore be NO cost implications to the Council.

Having demolished that (in any case extraordinarily weak) argument against Fairtrade, the council then had a vote on it and, guess what, the Tories voted en bloc AGAINST FairTrade anyway - thus revealing unmasked their true contempt fro the Fairtrade movement and concept.

Their actions shamed the town, and should be roundly condemned!

I am watching this space closely and fully support the effort the steering group in their dedicated cause.