Meeting the minister

On Friday I was privileged to join five well-informed WDM supporters from the Tunbridge Wells constituency for an important meeting. The group were going to see their MP, Greg Clark, who also happens to be financial secretary to the treasury - the minister with responsibility for regulating food speculation.

With just two weeks to go until finance ministers from the 27 EU member states discuss their position on new regulation to curb financial speculation on food and other commodities, they were intent on making sure he heard that the public is angry about the way banks are allowed to gamble on food prices, and want to see the UK back tough rules to limit their involvement in the markets.

The constituents were given a fair if short hearing, and had chance to hand over a copy of our photo petition, containing messages from hundreds of people who want to see the UK government support action on food speculation.

But we ended the meeting with work still to do. Not only did he leave us with over 2,000 petition postcards to deliver to the Treasury (too heavy for him to take to London on the train, apparently), but it was clear that the needs of ordinary people - particularly the poorest - are still coming second to the vested interests of the City when it comes to this issue.

Ask the Treasury to back tough rules on food speuclation now.