I have been thinking about how I should speak up on behalf of the residents of Knaphill regarding international issues that affect their daily lives either economically or morally.

 As a local representative I was initially reluctant to ask the council to speak out internationally.  I am beginning to feel my way as a councillor and think that while it isn’t necessarily correct to ask Woking Council to call on national and international bodies to take certain action, it is possible to call for local action that if repeated on a national scale would have dramatic impact.  For example, I don’t think I can call on Woking to condemn the Burmese government for its treatment of the Karen people or the Chinese government for the treatment of many minority groups in China. I do think, however, that it is necessary for Woking to consider only purchase goods from countries that treat their people fairly where possible. Although this may harm workers in these countries in the short run and be of little significance if only Woking did it.  A start has to be made somewhere in the hope that it could become a bottom up / grass roots movement for change with international impact.