JOHNSTONE COMMENTS ON LEAK OF UNDEMOCRATIC TTIP DEAL
Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, is warning against the "distraction" of the language used in the controversial TTIP trade deal, following the leak of a draft document.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, being negotiated behind closed doors by the EU and US, aims to remove barriers to multinational corporations and could enable them to sue governments over profits. SNP ministers support the principle of the deal, as does Labour.
A leaked draft of what the EU wants excluded from the deal has been published by the BBC.
Alison Johnstone MSP said:
"While some want to quibble over the wording, that is a distraction compared to the broader purpose of the deal. Greens have consistently opposed this blatant corporate power grab. It's undemocratic and threatens not just our NHS but puts at risk jobs and wages throughout our economy.
"Promoters of TTIP claim it will produce jobs and growth, but when questioned about who will benefit they resort to a belief in workers eventually sharing the profits from increased trade. We need to shut the door to this deal, and focus instead on strong public services and meaningful support for Scotland's small and medium sized businesses."