Hi John,
Our government is deep in negotiations for trade deals with the US and others without a basic democratic framework in place for doing so. They keep saying ‘trust us’. They keep saying that parliament doesn’t need a guaranteed vote on a US trade deal because they made manifesto promises to protect food standards and the NHS.
Well the government made a manifesto promise to keep the 0.7% aid commitment too, and now we see how much that promise was worth! Nothing.
The Trade Bill, approaching its final stages in parliament at the moment, is our last chance to change this. The Lords will vote on amendments next week, and Labour and the Lib Dems have combined on an amendment that could give parliament a vote and the right to meaningful information on what is on the table in negotiations.
Please can you email the leaders of the political parties in the Lords and tell them how important it is for these amendments to be passed?
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Trade deals can affect so much of our lives - on food, healthcare, climate, digital rights and more - but the people, and our representatives in parliament, have no say. This overrides basic democracy.
And without democracy, trade deals have become a blank cheque to slash standards, entrench privatisation and privilege a corporate agenda.
If trade deals have to answer in law to parliament, we have a better chance of protecting our food standards, NHS, climate and all the things we care about, than relying on a promise that can be broken at any time.
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If we can secure an amendment for trade democracy, we will fight to defend that when the bill returns to the House of Commons. That could happen really fast, as the government is running out of time before the end of the year - so do look out for my email.
Thank you for your support,
Jean Blaylock
Trade campaigner at Global Justice Now
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The US-UK trade deal could give corporations everything they want. Help us stop it.
We are campaigning to stop the toxic US trade deal which is likely to lower food standards, weaken chemical regulation, increase medicine prices and block climate action.
Regular gifts give us the long-term stability to plan effective campaigns for a more just world. And they will help further the campaign to stop this toxic trade deal.
If you’re not already a member, will you join today?
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