Bumping into Gordon - from Chris Holt
10:40am Wednesday, 29th September 2004
'Thanks so much for all you're doing on debt and aid,' I said, 'but I was really disappointed by what you said on trade. You're still saying free trade is the solution to global poverty.'
He replied that trade combined with investment to enable poor countries to take advantage of trade could indeed lift millions out of poverty.
'That's not what our experience shows,' I said, emboldened by a couple of San Miguels. 'Free trade isn't the answer.'
'I understand what you're saying,' he said, bringing the encounter to a friendly'end with a firm shake of my hand.
Excited by my brush with power I dashed outside to phone my husband, only to bump into the big man again as he was leaving. 'I got the message,' he said, shaking my hand again.
'
Waiting outside for a taxi, Peter Mandelson walked past. In his new post as EU trade commissioner he's someone else I should grab to talk to about trade justice. But somehow, Brown had filled the moment and I couldn't find the energy...
'Thanks so much for all you're doing on debt and aid,' I said, 'but I was really disappointed by what you said on trade. You're still saying free trade is the solution to global poverty.'
He replied that trade combined with investment to enable poor countries to take advantage of trade could indeed lift millions out of poverty.
'That's not what our experience shows,' I said, emboldened by a couple of San Miguels. 'Free trade isn't the answer.'
'I understand what you're saying,' he said, bringing the encounter to a friendly'end with a firm shake of my hand.
Excited by my brush with power I dashed outside to phone my husband, only to bump into the big man again as he was leaving. 'I got the message,' he said, shaking my hand again.
'
Waiting outside for a taxi, Peter Mandelson walked past. In his new post as EU trade commissioner he's someone else I should grab to talk to about trade justice. But somehow, Brown had filled the moment and I couldn't find the energy...
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