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MP 'disappointed' to be blocked from Fairtrade event

Ollie Samuels & Liam O'DonoghueNorth West
News imageCat Smith MP A woman with blonde hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing black rimmed glasses.Cat Smith MP
Labour MP Cat Smith believes the decision was made as the Reform-led council were worried she would use the speech to campaign

An MP has said she is "disappointed" not to be speaking at an upcoming fairtrade event after an intervention from Lancashire's Reform-led county council.

Cat Smith, the Labour MP for Lancaster and Wyre, was contacted by organisers and asked to speak at the Lancashire Fairtrade School Conference, but the council stepped in to block the invitation.

After the authority reminded Fairtrade Lancashire that the conference is a politically neutral event, the organisation said it "informed the invitees accordingly".

Lancashire County Council spokesperson said they were not involved in the invite list, but did remind organisers it should "remain politically neutral".

Smith, who has previously campaigned on fairtrade issues and has attended the event since her school days, believes the council was concerned she would use the opportunity to make a political speech.

"I never have and never would in anyways make it a party political issue. Fairtrade, certainly in Lancashire, is supported by individuals who vote for many different parties, it's not a party political issue", she said.

News imagePA Media A large red brick building with lots of windows. A blue sky with several clouds can be seen above.PA Media
The event is being held at County Hall in Preston

The Lancashire Fairtrade Schools Conference is an opportunity for primary school children to learn about the fairtrade movement at County Hall in Preston.

Cat Smith told BBC Radio Lancashire she was contacted by the organisers of the event, and told that if she was to attend then the council would no longer be willing to host the event at County Hall.

"It's more important that the event goes ahead than I get to speak, but i do think it's really disappointing behavior from the new reform led county council", Smith said.

News imageGetty Images A hand holds a glass bowl of coffee beans towards the camera. In the background, a lid with the fairtade logo can be seen in front of bags of coffee.Getty Images
The Fairtrade Foundation aims to give farmers around the world fairer prices for their products

The event organiser for Lancashire Fairtrade, Joanna Fionu, said: "We're disappointed that we cannot hear from Cat Smith on this occasion but I'm sure we will continue to work with her in the future."

Fionu said a council officer told her that Lancashire County Council were now interpreting the rules about council-hosted events being "non party-political" more tightly.

A Lancashire County Council spokesperson said: "Officers highlighted to the Fairtrade group that the event should remain politically neutral and that should be reflected in the invite list."

"Beyond offering that guidance, we were not involved in organising or planning the event", they said.

The council provides County Hall to the Fairtrade School Conference for free. 21 primary schools are each expected to send four pupils and at least one teacher to the event on 10 February.

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