Current Affairs The General Election

[roydo]

But he's lying though. Pharma was the driving force behind the renegotiation of NAFTA. They are by far the most active lobbying sector in overseas US trade negotiations

For example:

How Big Pharma (and others) began lobbying on the Trans-Pacific Partnership before you ever heard of it : Sunlight Foundation

Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants…

sunlightfoundation.com

That says they lobbied. Any evidence they were successful?

 

[abelard]

That says they lobbied. Any evidence they were successful?

They pretty much wrote the entire intellectual property terms sections of the TTP themselves, so yes, as far as the US was concerned, they were successful

 

[roydo]

They pretty much wrote the entire intellectual property terms sections of the TTP themselves, so yes, as far as the US was concerned, they were successful

Fair enough. No idea what the TTP is anyrate. Point remains, they need the NHS more than the NHS needs them. Ergo, they are down the queue in terms of influence in a UK/US trade deal.

 

[abelard]

Fair enough. No idea what the TTP is anyrate. Point remains, they need the NHS more than the NHS needs them. Ergo, they are down the queue in terms of influence in a UK/US trade deal.

Trans-Pacific Partnership

The point is that after a Tory/No Deal Brexit, we will be in an extremely poor position to insist on any sort of the terms with the Americans, and they know it.

And the pharmaceutical industry will be and always has been at the top of the queue in terms of lobbying power.

For further reading: http://www.coha.org/tpp-pharmaceuticals/

 

[roydo]

Trans-Pacific Partnership

The point is that after a Tory/No Deal Brexit, we will be in an extremely poor position to insist on any sort of the terms with the Americans, and they know it.

And the pharmaceutical industry will be and always has been at the top of the queue in terms of lobbying power.

For further reading: http://www.coha.org/tpp-pharmaceuticals/

You obviously know more than me, (not hard), but if the UK have sommet their pharmas really really want, then we have leverage. That was what that fella was saying.

 

[Barnfred 55]

No, I haven't just 'made it up'.

It was on the Guardian live feed earlier:

Ahh Theo Underwood twitter account. How did I miss that?

I'd have given it more credence if you had made it up Dave.

 

[Old Blue 2]

Ha Ha Ha. The advice to Brexit canvassers is superb.

It's been lifted from this:

 

[abelard]

You obviously know more than me, (not hard), but if the UK have sommet their pharmas really really want, then we have leverage. That was what that fella was saying.

Some, yes, but much much less than at the time when the discussions that leaked today were being conducted. It will be at best a case of damage limitation on our side, and we will have to choose our battles - we could likely only preserve measures of NHS autonomy by giving ground elsewhere.

But the real reason why this is damaging to the Tories (even if it mostly confirms what we already knew or should have known about their instincts) is that it begs the question: Do you trust Boris Johnson to protect the NHS when negotiating from a position of historic weakness with the Americans, and when after Brexit we can scarcely afford to walk away?

Given that he's yet to meet an audience that doesn't burst out laughing whenever the issue of trust comes up, I'd wager that for many, the answer is 'no'

Generally best not to take the public statements of American officials assigned to performing 'damage limitation' at face value, at any rate ; )

 

[davek]

Ahh Theo Underwood twitter account. How did I miss that?

I'd have given it more credence if you had made it up Dave.

No doubt more comment you'll dismiss.

 

[davek]

It's been lifted from this:

Ha Ha.

I'll have to remember that for when Moyes comes back.

 

[bol-uk]

But we know that there have been talks about a possible US/UK trade deal since after Brexit. The US even published a list of their wants in February- https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/Summary_of_U.S.-UK_Negotiating_Objectives.pdf

It’s not exactly the homerun that anyone seems to think it is.

Well since they denied it (NHS for sale), yes, yes it really is.

 

[Barnfred 55]

No doubt more comment you'll dismiss.

Why would I want to dismiss it? I just think 90%+ of what you get on twitter is made up crap and opinion.

For the record I agree it looks like Johnson is avoiding Andrew Neil, and I think he'll regret it as I said in this earlier post.

One thing is for sure, Johnson will most certainly be labelled a coward if he doesn't face Neill, and it could well prove to be as big an own goal as May not taking part in the leader debates during the last election.

 

[Blues Harp]

You need to read some of my other posts. I am arsed about the poor and vulnerable and it’s because I come from a similar background and did ok, I want others to do the same. But they need opportunity, not just handouts. I’ve lived through some diabolical times, both Labour and Tory. While I would personally sack every last one of them and start again my judgement tells me that a lying duplicitous Boris will do more good for our economy, and therefore ability to help the disadvantaged, than a lying duplicitous Corbyn could ever do...

I‘ll grant you I’ve been winding up one or two Corbynistas on here, but I believe in similar things as yourself, we will just differ in the best way to achieve them.......

Ok you were once 'poor and vulnerable" ---I cannot comment on that as I don't know your history. What I can't square, is that you will vote for a party whose austerity policies are driving this nation into a pit of hatred and bile, while those who are in the top echelon of wealth accumulators hide their money away in tax havens, Name me a policy over the past 10 years which helps the poor, vulnerable, disabled and low paid exploited working people, and doesnt cut vital public services such as police, firefighters, as well as starving local authorities of much needed cash under the guise of "private good, public bad" . What in your view is the best way in which the tories will help to rectify the damage already done by themselves?

 

[zzr45]

Well since they denied it (NHS for sale), yes, yes it really is.

Where do the drugs come from right now? Where do the beds come from, the scalpels, the machines used? Because it seems that it’s being read by commentators more knowledgeable than you or I that it’s what it actually boils down to, not elements of the service itself for sale.

 

[bol-uk]

Where do the drugs come from right now? Where do the beds come from, the scalpels, the machines used? Because it seems that it’s being read by commentators more knowledgeable than you or I that it’s what it actually boils down to, not elements of the service itself for sale.

Are you really being that daft??

DUe to the way the NHS is run we do not pay the same prices (not even close) to what we would be charged by US pharma corps if the trade deal was done. It would bankrupt the NHS in months and we would all have to be insured.

Such a poor response mate.