A CAMPAIGNER from Chandler's Ford joined other supporters and staff from fair trade organisation Traidcraft in Downing Street this week to present a petition to Prime Minister Theresa May. 

The petition, which was signed by more than 20,000 people, calls on the Prime Minister to update the law so that large UK companies can be prosecuted for the most serious cases of causing harm abroad. 

According to campaigners there is currently a gap in British law which makes it difficult to prosecute large companies when they cause serious harm in other countries.

Campaigners including Tricia Urquhart, from Chandler's Ford, who has worked on behalf of Traidcraft to collect as many signatures as possible calling on the government to close the gap. 

Tricia Urquhart, from Hampshire, said: “I run a Traidcraft stall at St Martin’s in the Wood church and have monthly coffee morning in my home. I collected a lot of signatures from my customers at church and from my neighbours too.” 

Traidcraft’s new Chief Executive Robin Roth said: “I find it shocking that some irresponsible British companies are getting away with crimes abroad as serious as causing deaths or severe injuries through their operations. Gaps in the law make it almost impossible to prosecute them in the UK – we want that to change.

“We’re delighted that Theresa May has said she wants to clamp down on irresponsible business practices. She could start by commissioning an independent inquiry into how corporate crimes could be prosecuted in the UK. The support we’ve had for the petition shows the strength of feeling from people that something needs to change.”

Traidcraft is the UK’s leading fair trade organisation and it campaigns to make trade work for people in developing countries.

The ‘Justice Matters’ petition is part of a targeted effort by Traidcraft and its supporters to urge the government to take action and update the law so companies can be prosecuted if they cause serious harm abroad.

For more information about Traidcraft’s campaigns work contact Mary Milne, Campaigns Manager, on mary.milne@traidcraft.org or 020 3752 5718.