TORY councillors on Bexley Council have vetoed suggestions Bexley should become a Fairtrade borough.

Twenty London boroughs have already become Fairtrade boroughs and London Mayor Boris Johnson recently celebrated London’s achievement as a Fairtrade City.

But Labour Party proposals at last week’s Bexley Council meeting that Bexley should join the initiative and adopt a series of measures to try and qualify for Fairtrade borough status, were voted down.

Thamesmead East councillor Sandra Bauer, who put forward the suggestion, said all London councils were now being urged to join the Fairtrade movement which, she said, supported the poorest people in the world and showed there was a way out of poverty.

She said: “We have a moral responsibility to support Fairtrade.

“It is a small thing to do, but it has huge benefits.”

But many Tory councillors disagreed.

Some said it was the wrong economic time, with home manufacturers and producers suffering.

Councillor Colin Tandy said: “It is all very well to be concerned about people in far off lands, but our own farmers, especially dairy farmers, are going out of business.”

Others argued it was not the council’s place to tell people what to buy, and shops what goods to stock.

Councillor Colin Campbell said: “We should let people make their own choice.

“It is not the role of the council to put resources behind Fairtrade.

He added: “I don’t think there is anything wrong with Fairtrade, but it is not for me to impose this principle on others.”

Councillor John Davey accused Labour councillors of “being out of touch”.

Seven Tory councillors were not prepared to support the idea, but did not want to vote against it, and abstained.

Councillor Peter Catterall said “We should not pretend Fairtrade is the solution to the problems of the Third World.”

He said for example, African countries should be encouraged to trade more with each other.

Labour group leader on the council, Councillor Chris Ball argued there was nothing to stop people supporting both Fairtrade and British producers.

He said: “People are finding things tough, but we would not be forcing people to buy Fairtrade.

“The council would just be saying we think this is important.”

Eight Labour councillors voted in favour, with 44 Tories against and seven Tories abstaining.