M E D I A R E L E A S E

Date: Thursday 3rd February 2005, For Immediate Release
Contact: LSE Students’ Union Environment & Ethics Officer – Joel Kenrick: 07901692296
LSE SU People and Planet Trade Justice Coordinator – Hanne Thornam  h.c.thornam@lse.ac.uk

Photo Call: Friday 4th Feb 16:30, outside the Old Building, London School of Economics,
Houghton Street, Aldwch, London. CREWS WELCOME

London School of Economic Students’ Union
vote to Make Poverty History

LSE Students have voted for Trade Justice, as Peter Mandelson’s
visit to the School looks set to be marred by protests.

Just hours after Nelson Mandela addressed Trafalgar Square to endorse the Make Poverty History campaign, students at the London School of Economics have joined over 200 organisations in supporting the campaign.

A vote of around 200 students at the weekly Union General Meeting saw a large majority in favour of a motion in support of Make Poverty History and resolving to inform students of the campaign. The motion follows similar motions at universities across the country, including Kings College and the National Union of Students.

Meanwhile tomorrow LSE students will be raising the pressure on the EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson as he visits the School. He will be greeted by trade justice protesters and students with a giant Mandelson puppet when he speaks on ‘Trade, Development and the EU’ on Friday 4th February on the same day as G7 Finance Ministers meet in London.

Students have organised an alternative talk at 4pm in the New Theatre on ‘What Mandelson won’t tell you – the truth about EU Trade Policy’ with leading critics including Mark Curtis, Director of the World Development Movement and John Hilary, Director of Campaigns and Policy at War on Want. Then students will join campaigners from People and Planet, Friends of the Earth, War on Want and WDM in a colourful theatrical protest outside the LSE Old Building at 4.30 pm. Dressed as businessman ‘pulling the strings’ of a giant puppet of Mandelson they will show what they believe to be the real driving force behind EU Trade Policy.

Hanne Thornam, LSE People and Planet trade justice co-ordinator, who proposed of the motion said:
“With Gordon Brown saying they support the campaign in principle what is needed is people around the country to ensure they act on their words, and I hope that by showing our support we can add to this pressure.”

Joel Kenrick, LSE Students Union Environment & Ethics Officer said:
“The support of LSE Students’ Union for the Make Poverty History campaign shows the growing momentum for the campaign. The EU has been adopting an offensive trade agenda at the WTO, promoting EU corporate interests at the expense of developing countries. The G7 and EU must start to act on real trade justice, abolishing the CAP and EPAs, if we are to really end world poverty.”

ENDS
- The text of the motion is:
Union Notes:
1) That in 2005 Britain will host the G8, hold the EU Presidency, the Commission for Africa will report and the UN General Assembly Special Summit on the Millennium Development Goals will take place.
2) In 2001 the G8 governments pledged to halve world poverty by 2015.
3) The launch of the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign (www.makepovertyhistory.org) in order to see this pledge acted upon, calling for ‘Trade Justice, Drop the Debt, More and Better Aid’.
4) That the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign is supported by over 100 charities, trade unions and faith groups including, Comic Relief, Help the Aged, Oxfam, TUC, NUS, Christian Aid, Save the Children, the Church of England, Muslim Aid, the Stop Aids Campaign and UNICEF UK as well as a number of prominent public figures.
5) That on Thursday 3rd February Nelson Mandela is speaking at Travalger Square to endorse the campaign.

Union Believes:
1) That LSE’s international make-up means that many students here are from countries which could benefit from the success of such a campaign.
2) That LSESU should support the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign.

Union Resolves:
1) To inform students of the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign website where students can download campaign materials, send an e-mail to the Prime Minister and get involved with the campaign in other ways.
2) To mandate the General Secretary to contact the campaign expressing our support.
3) To mandate the Comms Officer to press release this motion.
4) To mandate the General Secretary to look into the possibilities of selling white armbands supporting the campaign on campus.