June, 03 2019, 12:00am EDT
'Dump Trump's Trade Deal' Banner Dropped From Tower Bridge As State Visit Begins
Global Justice Now calls for UK to reject deal which threatens NHS and food standards‘Chlorinated chicken bloc’ will join corporate greed zone on Tuesday’s Stop Trump march
WASHINGTON
Campaigners have this morning dropped a 'Dump Trump's trade deal' banner from Tower Bridge in London in protest against a US-UK trade deal, as Donald Trump arrives in Britain for a three-day state visit.
A post-Brexit trade deal is expected to be high on the agenda during the visit, with trade secretary Liam Fox among the guests at tonight's state banquet at Buckingham Palace. US ambassador Woody Johnson's sparked controversy yesterday by suggesting that the NHS should be "on the table" in future trade negotiations.
Trade campaigners are warning that a post-Brexit trade deal with the United States would lead to an assault on UK food and environmental standards and the opening up of public services like the NHS. Several rounds of informal talks have been held between Liam Fox's Department for International Trade and US government officials since the Brexit referendum, though the UK has come under fire for holding the meetings in secret and refusing to release details about what parts of its economy it is willing to sacrifice to achieve a trade deal.
Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now said:
"This state visit is only happening because Theresa May has been desperate to cosy up to Donald Trump in the hope of a post-Brexit trade deal. A trade deal with Trump threatens to slash our food standards and serve up our NHS on a platter to American corporations. It would destroy the livelihoods of many farmers, give American Big Tech giants even more power over the internet, and subject future British governments to challenge from US multinationals in secret 'corporate' courts'. It's TTIP on steroids.
"Today, we call on politicians from all parties to say no to this toxic trade deal which would fundamentally and permanently restructure the British economy future in favour of big business. We demand the government actually tell the truth about what they're discussing with Trump's trade team. And we encourage everyone to get active on this campaign. We defeated TTIP three years ago, and we can defeat this terrible deal with Trump."
Global Justice Now campaigners dressed as chlorinated chickens will join the 'corporate greed' zone on Tuesday's Together Against Trump demonstrating starting in Trafalgar Square at 11am.
Photos at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rm4j6ymwhymdoat/AAB0kkTKYP0skv1zMmfeFd0qa?dl=0
Video at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/194U8S_iRYtnas2idhqCIOqpmllDYl-ED
Global Justice Now is a democratic social justice organisation working as part of a global movement to challenge the powerful and create a more just and equal world. We mobilise people in the UK for change, and act in solidarity with those fighting injustice, particularly in the global south.
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