Bob Walter is the only parliamentary candidate in North Dorset not to sign the People’s NHS pledge demanding the NHS be excluded from the TTIP transatlantic trade deal that is currently being negotiated between the EU and the US. In dismissing concerns about TTIP Bob Walter is out of step with his own constituents. A recent poll showed 63% opposed the inclusion of the NHS in TTIP. People’s NHS campaigners are having a good response from local people as they go door to door in North Dorset with their petition demanding David Cameron use his veto to exempt the NHS from TTIP.
Bob Walter said those warning of the threat to the NHS from TTIP are doing so for political reasons but it has no grounds – yet the threat to the NHS from TTIP is very real. Through its investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions, TTIP will allow foreign companies to sue the UK government in off-shore tribunals for loss of potential profits as a result of government legislation. This would include any future legislation to reverse the privatisation of NHS services. Therefore ISDS would “lock in” NHS privatisation, regardless of the wishes of the British people through their elected government. It is fundamentally undemocratic. There are thousands of examples of ISDS in other trade deals worldwide challenging legislation affecting public health, environmental or consumer protection. For example Philip Morris Tobacco Company is suing the Australian government for loss of potential profits due to plain cigarette packaging legislation.
So its not “scare mongering” to raise serious concerns about the risks to the NHS from TTIP. David Cameron recently confirmed that the NHS is part of the TTIP negotiations. These negotiations are so secret that even our own parliamentarians are not allowed to know their contents and will not have a vote on the final proposals. If Cameron wanted to reassure us that the NHS will not be under threat from TTIP he could easily ask for it to be excluded. The French have done so for their film industry. Why doesn’t David Cameron do that for the NHS?
Frank Mercer
Concerned resident
