TTIP Agreement - don't yawn, it's important!

What annoys me is that the Labour Party are saying they will keep an eye on it with regard to the NHS. That's really worked so far, hasn't it?
The best way to ensure we still have an NHS next year is to vote Green or the NHA. All the other parties like the TTIP.

I would prefer to vote Green - and may well do so - but the problem is that with our voting system it's unlikely that such a vote will count. I agree that Labour is very lack lustre and seems like a pale imitation of the Tory party now.

Bump

Eloethan, they gained more MEPs this time, I think, in the UK.
If parliament ends up split three ways, the Green party could hold the balance. I think that's possibly wishful thinking, but as I said earlier it's the TTIP that's important. It seems that there are only a few of us that are bothered on this forum.
Just watching the news, and there is now a North East Party for the next election.

nhap.org/cameron-makes-light-of-ttip/

From PMQs. Another attepmt to pat us on the head and tell us to go away.

Sorry, attempt.

This is how the government is going to get away with it. Nobody's interested.

It's worrying isn't it that very few people seem to be aware of the TTIP talks being held. I suppose it's hardly surprising since it's received almost no coverage in the media.
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David Cameron's complacent, and sometimes flippant, responses to those MPs who are very concerned about the secrecy of talks which have such far-reaching and dangerous implications, are not at all reassuring.

One of the MPs who asked questions was my MP. Obviously I am not the only one in North Durham who has written to her.
I do not understand how Cameron thinks it's okay to write to them about this. He should be questioned on it every PMQ until he gives a decent answer about the NHS. Of course, we know what he really thinks, we should leave it be until it all goes through and the private companies can then take the next government to court for affecting their profits. It won't be his government, but it will be worse than the PFI contracts.

Think we'll have to mention this on the NHS thread, Eloethan. On the other hand, it will probably kill that one as well.

opendemocracy.net/ournhs/martin-obeirne/nurses-fight-back-against-trade-treaty-that-threatens-nhs

One ray of sunshine. Have to look for more.

This is important.
On Tuesday the government is going to vote on whether to allow Syngenta to use insecticides which have been banned Europewide.

If the TTIP goes through, Syngenta will be able to sue the government of any EU country for affecting its profits. Governments will have no choice but to let Syngenta kill off bees.

Think about it, and sign this petition.
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/m/74c0444f/2d420d21/4ac69965/465b7b58/2725735509/VEsD/

Signed.

Anyone in London, there's a march on 12th July.
nhap.us7.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=937c3e62bc24fa37708920cc9&id=4e9a853946&e=716bee6853

Thanks durhamjen.

By the way, the NHA party was on the march against austerity, Eloethan.

weownit.org.uk/blog/hands-our-public-services-say-no-ttip

There is a march next weekend about the TTIP, but you can also have your say directly to the EU if you use the link on this link before 6th July.
Not much notice but I've only just seen it.

Apparently there were so many 38degrees members who filled in the TTIP form last week that the system crashed - or so the powers that be say.
If you haven't heard from 38 degrees and you filled it in, there are only two days to do it again.
Please do.

I've just seen it and filled it in.

My husband and I went to a meeting this evening at the NUT headquarters near King's Cross about the TTIP Agreement. We both wanted to be a bit better informed about it, and there were some very knowledgeable speakers, including John Hilary of War on Want, a German economist and writer and an American environmentalist.

From leaked information from the secretive talks (the documentation for which will apparently be prevented from being accessed for the next 30 years) and from the example of similar past and present agreements, it appears that TTIP is merely a way for corporations to roll back regulation and to gain access to public services. Regulatory measures will be "harmonised" with the US. European regulations are based on the "precautionary principle" whereby a chemical, drug, etc., has to be proved to be harmless. American regulations are based on the "scientific principle" where everything is deemed harmless unless there is proof it is dangerous.

That sounds scary, Eloethan. Why should the system not change to the precautionary principle?
I have often wondered about drugs and the number of side effects listed. It often sounds as though we are being used to test. But the GPs no longer fill in the yellow cards as too many people get those side effects.
Is that not what happened with thalidomide?

www.gmwatch.org/index.php/news/archive/2014/15530-french-celebs-campaign-against-eu-us-trade-deal

Bump

Seems to have disappeared from the news.
The government is lying when it says the NHS is safe.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/02/eu-us-free-trade-deal-ttip-transatlantic-trade-investment-partnership

Not sure whether this YouTube has been posted previously, but for the first time I understood the issue. Scary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2AMNmigWzQ&feature=youtu.be

Thank you for that, Grannyknot, I hadn't realised the full implications until watching. I agree, very scary!
Yesterday I signed a 38degrees petition For Ed Milliband which is relevant to the subject, but it is easy for the government to slip in all sorts of controversial legislation with so many other headline stories in play at present. How to make the public aware of the dangers to the NHS is a problem.