Government Preaching From A High Pulpit

1.09.38pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th Jul 2004

Commenting on the White Paper 'Making Globalisation a Force for Good', released today by the DTI, Malcolm Bruce MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Trade and Industry, said: "As is very often the case, the Government is good on rhetoric but poor on the mechanisms of delivery.

"Patricia Hewitt must make clear how the UK can engineer a shift in the balance in world trade, without providing a license to exploit people in developing countries.

"Patricia Hewitt telling the EU how to conduct its trade policy comes in the wake of hard bargaining by the British Government over the Constitution, and may not be well received.

"The Secretary is preaching freer trade from a high pulpit, and her audience may be disinclined to listen."

ENDS

The Department of Trade and Industry set out the UK's trade and investment policy today in the White Paper 'Making Globalisation a Force for Good'.