Twickenham candidates representing the three main political parties were challenged on their positions on international poverty today, at a hustings event organised by Teddington-based aid agency Tearfund.
Hustings Chair, Andy Atkins of Teddington based-aid agency Tearfund and Liberal Democrat candidate Vincent Cable.
Over 100 Tearfund staff, many residing in the Twickenham constituency, gathered to put their questions and concerns to the Conservative candidate Paul Maynard, Labour candidate Brian Whitington and Liberal Democrat candidate Vincent Cable, at Tearfund’s offices in Church Road.
The event came just days before World Poverty Day, Sunday 24 April, when leaders of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties will set out their policies on international development.
All candidates stressed their parties’ commitment to meeting the long-awaited target of 0.7% of national income spent on international development aid, but differed on the date by which this will be achieved.
Candidates were pressed by constituents on their party’s position on the injustice in the global trading system, which Tearfund believes is a major obstacle to tackling poverty in the developing world and an issue which all parties policies need to go much further on.
The candidates were also questioned on other key development issues such as climate change and HIV/AIDS, as well as issues as diverse as local transport, health services and asylum and immigration.
Conservative candidate Paul Maynard and Labour candidate Brian Whitington.
Speaking at the event, Liberal Democrat Vincent Cable said, “Although many of the issues in this election campaign are inevitably very parochial and local and that’s right, it’s very important that we don’t lose sight of global development issues. The candidates were forced to answer tough questions on this area which I think this is a good discipline and I am glad we have been exposed to this.”
Andy Atkins, Advocacy Director for Tearfund and chair of the event said, “What struck me, both in the constituent’s questions and the candidates’ answers, was the connection between many of domestic issues that constituents are concerned about and issues of international justice - whether its the cars we drive and their impact on global warming, or immigration and asylum policy and the impact that has on people who flee from countries in conflict. The local and global can no longer be separated.”
When asked what he believed was the main issue for voters is in this election, Brian Whitington of Labour pointed to the economy. “Without a strong economy the public purse cannot afford to pay for additional international development aid. Since Labour came to power we have sorted out public finances, hence in 2013, 0.7% of GDP will be spent on international development. That’s a commitment that will happen.”
Speaking after the event, Conservative candidate Paul Maynard said, “Poverty is never inevitable. The work of Tearfund and other NGOs in fighting poverty is a crusade that must be won. Developing countries cannot do it alone. Conservatives will work for fairer trade, targeted debt relief, better governance and make sure that aid goes further.”
Asked what he hoped the candidates would take from the event, Tearfund’s Andy Atkins said, “I hope the candidates take away the real conviction that progress on aid, trade and debt in particular is critical, urgent and will have to be made by whatever party is elected so that any promises they have made now, they will absolutely have to keep.”
Asked whether development was an issue on the doorstep for Twickenham constituents, Vincent Cable said, “Not enough I fear. I think its quite influential among many young people but I wish there was more general concern which is why the churches and the charities are so important because they put these issues in front of us and force us to think about them.”