Letter sent to Evening Gazette, Feb 3rd

Dear Sir,

I note that Labour MP for Stockton North, Alex Cunningham is calling on the Teesside Pension Fund to end investment in the tobacco industry and look for alternative investments. (Evening Gazette, Saturday 2nd February.)

I wonder whether he informed his Labour colleagues of his views on this issue prior to a Council meeting held on 23rd January in which they voted down a motion submitted by the Stockton Liberal Democrat Council Group calling for the same thing.

There is not often agreement between Labour and the Liberal Democrats on any single issue and I find it a matter of regret that on this occasion the Labour-led Council did not feel able to support a motion which would have helped to ensure that the Fund invests more ethically in the future.

Yours faithfully,

Nick Webb.

Vice Chair of the Stockton Liberal Democrats.