Mike and the other left-wing blogs have been warning for some time now about the dire consequences for British working people if the government passes the TTIP. This is the international trade agreement between the US and Europe, which would give rich multinationals the power to sue national governments for the effects of legislation. Left-wing critics warn that if this goes ahead, then it will effectively cement in place the government’s privatisation of the NHS, as the private healthcare providers could sue the British government if it tried to renationalise health care in the UK.
And a particular malign example of what we can expect from the deal was provided by Private Eye two years ago in the article, ‘Peter Mandelson: Global Reach’ in their issue for the 15th – 28th November 2013. This reported the former Labour Minister and spin doctor, Peter Mandelson’s support for TTIP, and lists the various companies, for whom he is now lobbying. The Eye also reports that according to the TUC, the waste management company, Veolia, was using a similar trade deal, the ISDS, to sue the Egyptian government for increasing wages for its country’s workers.
How mean and despicable can you get?
One of the reasons for the political instability in Egypt and the rest of Middle East has been the decline in incomes due to economic stagnation. Political analysts point to the economic slump in Algeria in the 1990s as one of the causes of the victory for the Islamist FLN at the elections there. The result was a military coup by the arm in order to save Algeria as a secular state, and several years of brutal civil war. In Egypt many people are at or below the breadline, unable to buy staple foods. It is absolutely disgusting that a poor nation should be pushed further into poverty, simply so western multinationals can boost their dividends.
And with examples of exploitation like that, it’s no wonder that some in the Arab world hate us.
What Veolia did yesterday with the Egyptians, other companies will do tomorrow with the TTIP. We cannot let the Mandelsons and Camerons of the world pass it.
Marx was right: Working people of all countries, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains.
Tags: FLN, Global Reach, Multinationals, Peter Mandelson, Private Healthcare, TTIP, TUC, Veolia, Vox Political
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January 28, 2015 at 1:58 pm |
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