Global Justice Now Reading

On Wednesday 23 September we had our first meeting on zoom, ‘Stop the
Toxic Trade Deal with Trump: Why a US/UK Trade Deal must be opposed’
We had three excellent speakers. Jean Blaylock, campaign and policy manager
from Global Justice Now, explained that these days trade deals are all about
power. In the old days countries used gun boats to enforce their power in the
world; nowadays they use trade deals. They use these trade deals to entrench the
neoliberal way of doing things.
If we let the proposed trade deal pass, all the rules and regulations that are written
into the 32 chapters of the US/UK trade deal will get written into the rules of both
countries. Later when any activists want the government to improve things for
people or the environment there will be a simple answer,
‘Well, it’s interesting you should say that but we can’t do anything about that. It’s
written into the rules.’
Nikki gave us an idea of how the trade deal would affect workers’ rights and Gay
Lee was able to speak about the NHS and pharmaceuticals.
All three speakers agreed that there is every reason to hope that the US deal can
be defeated if we build a sufficiently large and diverse movement. For more
information see https://www.globaljustice.org.uk/campaigns/trade-justice

Shoppers in Broad Street Reading were shocked to see ‘Donald Trump’ promoting the range of food he wants to include in the new US/UK trade deal, including chlorine washed chicken and baby food containing arsenic and pesticides. Secret talks have already started between the US and the UK over a deal, and leaked documents have shown government officials discussing how to ‘sell’ American food standards to the British public.
Many people stopped to sign cards to the secretary of State for International trade asking her to oppose any US/UK trade deal that lowers our food standards or opens the NHS to US corporations.

A small group of us attended the Free For All Arts performance on the NHS and its challenges in the light of privatisation. We gave gave attendees cards on Save Our NHS.

Details to be announced

John Christensen, eminent Economist, made another visit to talk about The Climate Emergency – Financing the Transition to Sustainability. The tax justice network (https://www.taxjustice.net/2020/03/12/financing-climate-justice/) has since published a report putting forward John’s ideas. We recommend you read it. The large audience (70+)including many young people were much appreciative, asking deep and critical questions, which John answered clearly and with authority.

Tom Lake gave a fact-filled talk based on the book: The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better is a book by Richard G. Wilkinson and Kate Pickett. The authors point out that the life-diminishing results of valuing growth above equality in rich societies can be seen all around us, which Tom illustrated with his review. The audience were very appreciative and demanding with their questions, as usual.