Campaigners want to scrap deal which could wreck health service
People across Scotland will take part in a UK-wide day of action on Saturday (11 October) against a controversial trade deal between the EU and USA which could lead to the privatisation of the NHS..
Campaigners say that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement would force the health service open to competition from American private healthcare providers.
People will be meeting at various locations across the country, including 11am in George Square, Glasgow, St James Shopping Centre in Edinburgh and outside M&S on St Nicholas Street in Aberdeen.
People in Scotland will be standing with thousands of people across the UK to say that we love our NHS too much to let it be sold off to the highest bidder
Campaigners, members of campaign group 38 Degrees, will be encouraging people to get in touch with Scottish MEPs, asking them to oppose the controversial trade deal in the European Parliament.
The TTIP agreement would force the NHS open to competition from American private healthcare providers. The deal is also set to allow multinational businesses to sue the government if British laws dent their profits.
Critics say this would expose the government to lawsuits if it tried to take privatised health services back into public ownership.
More than 180,000 people have signed a 38 Degrees petition against the deal.
The day of action follows local protests in towns and cities across Scotland - including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen – in August, when campaigners from Scotland joined 10,000 people across the UK to collect signatures for the 38 Degrees petition against the deal.
David Babbs, executive director at 38 Degrees, said: “One of the most worrying things about this deal is that it’s being agreed behind closed doors - so 38 Degrees members are taking to the streets to force it into the spotlight.
“People in Scotland will be standing with thousands of people across the UK to say that we love our NHS too much to let it be sold off to the highest bidder.
“It’s time for MEPs to answer our concerns and explain exactly what they’re going to do to stop this.”
People can sign up to take part in the day of action on the 38 Degrees website: ttipaction.38degrees.org.uk
