MAKE POVERTY HISTORY Supporters Demonstrate in Poole Park

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 17th Apr 2005

Demonstrating with local volunteers to support Make Poverty History

On Sunday, Annette Brooke and Cllr. Mike Brooke, joined thousands of local residents on the MAKE POVERTY HISTORY rally in Poole, Dorset.

The MAKE POVERTY HISTORY coalition coordinated thousands of rallies across the country to enable people all over Britain to show their support for the cause. This year, as Britain hosts the G8 and holds the EU presidency, campaigners want the UK government to put international development issues at the top of the agenda.

Annette Brooke, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for children, has committed herself to wear a "Make Child Poverty History" white wrist band as requested by the charity 'Save the Children' for the duration of the election campaign, and onwards if she is re-elected to Parliament on 5 May.

Trade Justice Demonstrators in Poole Park

Annette Brooke said: "It was inspiring to see so very many young people at the rally, who, though unable to vote, still sent important message to policy makers on this issue."

While still MP for Mid Dorset, Annette wrote to the Chancellor Gordon Brown and to the Secretary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn, urging them to prioritise trade justice, debt relief and more and better aid for poor countries.