Chester parliamentary candidates quizzed on international development at the city’s university

Apr 22 2010 by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

QUESTIONS on debt, fair trade and aid were put to four of the parliamentary candidates for Chester at a pre-election hustings held at the University of Chester.

More than 70 people listened to Christine Russell (Labour), Stephen Mosley (Conservative), Elizabeth Jewkes (Liberal Democrat) and Tom Barker (Green) discuss the subject of international development at an evening hosted by Chester World Development Forum and the Department of Geography and Development Studies.

Each candidate outlined the main policies of their party regarding sustainable development, trade, migration, the amount of national income to be committed to aid and ways of making aid work more efficiently.

The candidates responded to a range of questions from the audience on topics including the debt burden of developing countries and how that should be addressed; free trade; sustainable technologies; the Government’s commitment to fair trade; policies to bring a solution to the problems in Gaza and Palestine; support for fragile states; reductions in carbon emissions and concerns about unsustainable living in the UK.

One member of the Chester World Development Forum said: “It was a good opportunity to hear the views of the parties taking part on the topic of international development.”

Sixth formers and Chester pupils are invited to the King’s School for a pre-election debate tomorrow at 6pm.

There will also be a Question Time-style event at Queen’s Park High, Handbridge, on Wednesday from 7.30pm, featuring all the City of Chester parliamentary candidates.