Friday 28 November 2014

Solidarity Is Our Weapon For Success.


 

     We should make no mistake about it, TTIP, if it goes ahead, finally blows any illusion of democracy out of the water. Gone are any control we may have had over our water, our health service, our education, and a raft of other services essential to a civilised society. All will be controlled and shaped by the parasites in the boardrooms of the corporate greed machine. All will be shaped according to the amount of profit that can be squeezed from them, with no consideration for the end users, you and I. TTIP is the corporate boardroom dream come true, total control over every aspect of our lives, everything moulded to suit the needs of the shareholders. It will take a concerted effort by the largest of mass movements to stop it, and kill it dead, before it devours what little democracy we may have.
      The campaign to stop the EU-US trade deal (TTIP) is having great effect. As a result of growing public pressure negotiations have been delayed by almost two months. If we keep up the pressure, we can stop TTIP altogether.
      The EU have now taken steps to publish some documents from the negotiations, in a desperate attempt to claim real transparency. But this is still a long way short of open and democratic negotiations.
It has been a hectic few weeks in the campaign against TTIP as the media seems to be warming up to our message. Letters were published in the Financial Times, The Independent and The Guardian and articles in the New Internationalist, Independent Voices.
       On Tuesday, our head of campaigns Polly Jones gave evidence to MPs on TTIP (here’s the Parliament TV coverage - start from 10:45:00) and our director Nick Dearden gave an interview to Russia Today TV (Preview) . The campaign is also going strong in Scotland. This weekend we spoke at the Radical independence Conference and today Liz Murray, our head of Scottish campaigns, gave evidence about TTIP to the Scottish parliament.
 
 Banner drop in Brigton last week.
       Our (self-organised) European Citizens’ Initiative is breaking records and is attracting hundreds of thousands of signatures. With your help we can reach 1 million signatures before the end of this year! If you haven’t already done so, sign it here: www.wdm.org.uk/TTIP
        Faced with the growing campaign against TTIP negotiators are preparing a huge PR offensive to promote TTIP throughout the EU promoting TTIP, offering reassurances on the NHS. Articles blaming campaigners for the woes of the negotiators are starting to appear. If anything that shows that our campaign is working and that we’ve got the EU on the back foot on TTIP.
There are a number of significant events coming up:
  • This Monday, 1 December, 6pm there’s TTIP: Turning the Tide in Westminster. This mass training event, led by leading politicians and campigners, will help you learn how to pressure politicians about TTIP, make networks with other citizens and activists and develop plans for the future. A limited number of places remain available, book now if you’d like to attend. 
  • We are planning a mobilisation to Brussels on late January or early February to lobby MEPs, protest against TTIP and meet civil society activists from around Europe – watch this space.
     Currently under way at WDM are briefings on aspects of TTIP and its expected impacts and more campaigning – with an accent on Local Authorities. Keep in touch. #NoTTIP.
Best wishes,
Guy Taylor
Trade campaigner, WDM
Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

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