THE attitude and actions of people in Warrington will be crucial if solutions are to be found to the problems of world poverty, according to one of the town's Euro MPs.

Chris Davies MEP says that well-meaning sentiments expressed at the ongoing World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa will not be turned into practice unless people pressure politicians to introduce the changes needed.

The Warrington MEP, acting as Liberal Democrat representative at the Johannesburg conference which runs until Wednesday, September 4, says he fears that many UK politicians will not be ambitious enough to tackle the problems because of fears over a possible backlash from their constituents.

He added: "It is absolutely essential that Warrington residents put pressure on their representatives to make the issues of world poverty, unfair trade and environmental destruction a political priority.

"They also need to speak out against neighbours too short-sighted to recognise that unless we tackle the problems of the world, we sow the seeds of our own destruction."

Mr Davies explained that issues surrounding poverty, such as global warming, refugees and huge movements of hungry people, have a direct impact on Britain.

He also claimed that solutions to every problem in the world could be found, pointing to the £40bn cost of halving global poverty being the equivalent of the subsidies paid to Europe's farmers via the EU's common agricultural policy.

He added: "The question is whether the political will exists to make the changes necessary to achieve solutions. The voices of Warrington people are crucial if the battle is to be won."