BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL AND OPPOSITION TO TRANSATLANTIC TRADE AND INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP

Motion Text

That this House congratulates Birmingham City Council, the largest local authority in Europe, on having passed a motion opposing the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP); believes that TTIP exists to transfer power and wealth into the hands of global multinational companies whose only concern is profit; notes with concern that TTIP would remove or weaken protections for workers' rights, health and safety, food standards, environmental protection and personal data protection; further believes that TTIP has the potential to seriously damage local and national public services, including the NHS; considers that the secrecy surrounding the terms of TTIP is undemocratic, unaccountable and dangerous; observes that the people of Birmingham will have no opportunity to influence either the terms of TTIP or whether the treaty is adopted, yet will be affected by it; applauds Birmingham councillors who have stated that public service must come before private profit; believes that councils have every right to source goods and services locally and ethically, in order to support local jobs and businesses and ensure high-quality provision; further notes with concern that under TTIP councils would not be able to prioritise small, local businesses over global conglomerates with no concern for local wellbeing or local knowledge; urges other councils to acquaint themselves with the provisions in TTIP and consider whether this trade deal has the potential to damage local services, jobs and businesses; and supports entirely all councils which choose to make a stand against this dangerous and damaging trade deal.