THINK GLOBAL
Act locally with Global Justice Now
March 2018 
Contents
Strengthing our network in 2018
02 Welcome 03 News roundup 04 Pharmaceuticals 06 Trade justice 08 Migrant solidarity 09 Groups and activism news 10 Climate Justice 11 Events 12 Current materials
Inserts Migration
• Hostile environment briefing • Free movement comic booklet
General
• AGM and elections notice (groups only) • Membership recruitment pack: poster, forms and explainer (groups only)
Pharma
• Pharma MP briefing (groups only) • Lobby guide for pharma campaign (groups only)
Climate
• Change the system, not the climate 2 March 2018
Ed Lewis National organiser As global politics shows no sign of calming down, the year ahead is a crucial one for the struggle for global justice. Trade democracy remains firmly on the agenda, especially with the opportunities created by delays to the Trade Bill (see the trade update for more information). The next few months also present an opportunity for us to renew our migration campaigning. New materials included in this issue of Think Global on free movement and the government’s ‘hostile environment’ policy can help you organise locally. Looking further ahead, 5 July marks the 70th anniversary of the NHS. This is an important opportunity to celebrate the NHS and campaign to put people before profit in the global drug industry (there is also important lobbying to be done now - see the pharmaceuticals update for details). On top of these key campaign areas, we’ve a new activist network is renewing some of our climate justice work (see page 10). To take on this busy campaigning agenda, the Global Justice Now activist network needs to be connected, skilled and confident. This is all the more important in a context in which overall staff capacity at Global Justice Now has declined due to financial pressures. But we’ve got a set of opportunities coming up to help with this. After the popularity of the trade webinar in November, we’re running a webinar this month for people who want to get a firmer handle on our migration campaign. This will address both the big picture – why we need to work towards a world of global free movement – and concrete issues we can work on now, especially the hostile environment for immigrants. In April, there are national meetings in Sheffield and, for Scottish activists, Edinburgh. These events will involve skills training and the opportunity to share experiences with other local activists. And of course, June is our annual national gathering, for which we’ve already confirmed some great speakers. There’s more detail on all these events in this issue of Think Global – we’d love to see you at them. But of course, there may be skills training and community building events you want to run locally, which the office can provide financial or other support for. Ultimately, the success of Global Justice Now campaigns depends on the vitality of our network – so let’s make it stronger this year.
News from Global Justice Now Council and area rep elections Members should by now have received details of this year’s council and area rep elections. For groups, the information is also included with this issue of Think Global.
We particularly want to encourage people to consider standing to be an area rep. Having area reps is helpful to the activism team when co-ordinating group activities, as well as being an important part of our governance – three area reps sit on council. At the time of going to press, only two area reps have said they are going to stand again, which could leave us with rather a gap. Please feel free to contact James O’Nions to discuss what the role involves: 020 7820 4900 or james.onions@globaljustice.org.uk.
Group affiliation reminder
We’ve had several groups contact us for the local group public liability insurance. This insurance is just one reason that we need groups to reconfirm affiliation at the start of the year. This provides the paper trail necessary to show that the group really is a part of the organisation and covered by our insurance. Affiliation also gives eligiblity to vote at the AGM and nominate people to council or as area reps. The form came with January Think Global so if your group hasn’t returned this yet, please do so straight away!
Action checklist
Media highlights
The Independent ran a comment piece from Alex Scrivener after the first Conservative rebellion over Brexit. Our director Nick Dearden had a comment piece in the Guardian on Britain trying to join the TransPacific Partnership, and we were quoted in CommonSpace on our Scotland campaign on the Trade Bill. As well as some brilliant local media in Bradford over Trade Bill Takedown, we were attacked by trade secretary Liam Fox in an article for the Independent. In other coverage, the Guardian did a feature in G2 on our use of projections in protests (including ‘Refugees Welcome’ on the cliffs of Dover), Sky News reported our reaction to the ‘hostile environment’ for migrants being extended to banks, and the Morning Star covered Aisha Dodwell’s reaction to Penny Mordaunt’s vision for aid. Gal Dem published an interview with Sibongile Tshabalala, our speaker from October’s speaker tour, and Nick from wrote comment articles on TalkRadio’s website on Trump’s on-off visit. We also provided research for an article by shadow international development minister Kate Osamor in the New Statesman on the outsourcing of aid overseas, and helped connect the Guardian with our allies in the Tunisian Economic Observatory for an article on the protests in Tunisia.
Pharmaceuticals Lobby your MP, especially if you have an MP that sits in a relevant committee Trade Lobby or write to your MP asking them to support Caroline Lucas’ amendment
Migration Decide as a group which type of migration event you might want to run in the next few months Attend the migrant solidarity webinar Events Check who in your group can attend the events on page 11 March 2018 3
Pharmaceuticals Influencing politicians – stepping up the pressure In the first phase of our campaign, we’ve been trying to get MPs to call on the secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy to change the way we fund research and development for drugs. There need to be conditions of affordability on public funding for this research, to stop the public paying twice – first for the research, and then for the huge costs that pharma companies charge for the drugs. Having used action cards and e-actions so far, now is a good time to move to MP lobbying. To help you with this, we have included in this month’s Think Global: • Guide for local groups. This is a lobbying guide for your group that sets out the key
Pharmaceuticals campaign key action card hand in
4 March 2018
issues and what we are asking MPs to do on this campaign • Parliamentary briefing on the campaign. This briefing summarises the key issues and can be given to your MP If you need further resources, you can also look at: • Report, ‘Pills and Profits’, at globaljustice.org.uk/sick-corporate-greed • Activism guide, ‘How to lobby decisions makers (MP and MEPs)’, under globaljustice.org.uk/activist-resources We are asking all groups to lobby their MP. However, it’s especially important if you have an MP that sits in a relevant committee (Business, Health or Public Accounts) as we will be asking these MPs to call for a public inquiry into ensuring public return on
public investment in health research and development. For the list of MPs, refer to the lobbying guide for local groups included as an insert. If you have any questions around lobbying, please contact the office.
Novartis and Colombia
Last month, a letter was leaked that revealed how the CEO of drug company, Novartis, was putting pressure on the Colombian government to stop them issuing a compulsory license for its leukaemia drug, Glivec. A compulsory license allows a government to grant a license to a company to produce a patented drug without the consent of the patent holder and it’s a legal right enshrined in the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). It is intended to tackle the problem high drug prices and patient access by allowing another company to produce the drug more affordably. Glivec costs approximately twice the average annual income in Colombia. All governments have the right to protect public health through the use of mechanisms like compulsory licenses and should not have the threat of retaliation by pharmaceutical companies. To support Colombian campaigners on access to medicines, we have signed onto a global civil society letter and have just launched a public petition in solidarity (see the website for details).
Global conference
At the end of January, campaigners from across the world convened at the Global Summit on Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines in Morocco. The sessions and presentations can be found at makemedicinesaffordable.org (click on ‘see the highlights’ on the homepage).
Scottish activist gathering Where: Quaker Meeting House, Edinburgh EH1 2JL When: Saturday 21 April, 10am - 5pm This is our annual Scottish gathering for Global Justice Now local groups, members and anyone who is interested in finding out more about what we do and taking action for social justice with us. We’ve got workshops and updates on our latest campaigns; time to share stories and experiences; practical sessions on campaign skills; and special guest Clare Hymer from independent media platform Novara Media. More at globaljustice.org.uk/scottish_gathering
came from the summit was the idea of calling for a moratorium on TRIPS. TRIPS is the global agreement on intellectual property that sets the common standard for all WTO members of 20-year patents on new drugs. This creates monopolies for and enables the highly-inflated drug prices that are pricing people out of medicines all across the world. This is just an idea for now, but it is exciting that the global access-to-medicine community is moving towards more radical demands to address the scandal and crisis of high drug prices.
Call out to health professionals We are continuing to find different ways to raise public awareness of the campaign and we would really love to add the voices of health professionals and patients who have experienced first-hand the problems expensive drug prices to the campaign. If you have an experience that you would like to share and don’t mind it being used in the campaign, please get in touch with radhika.patel@globaljustice.org.uk.
It was an inspiring gathering of the movement and one of the big ideas that March 2018 5
Guy Smallman
Trade justice
Global juctice Now activists at Trade Bill Takedown
At the end of February, the Trade Bill suffered a devastating blow. As a consequence of developments in Labour’s position on Brexit, Labour are supporting an amendment to the Trade Bill which calls for the UK to stay in the customs union. Because of the Tories’ fear of losing the vote, this means they have pushed back the next stage of the bill. This gives us more time to push for more support for trade democracy and, in particular, to promote Caroline Lucas’ new amendment (see below).
Campaign developments
In January over 5,000 people responded to our online action to members of the Trade Bill Committee. This ruffled some feathers. Tory MP Greg Hands was prompted to publicly attack us for our audacity in getting people to contact MPs from other constituencies. Labour’s Faizal Rashid responded, pointing out the national responsibility borne by the committee. 6 March 2018
Trade Bill Takedown was a two day mobilisation we co-organised with War on Want, bringing over 70 people from Devon to Glasgow across to London for two days of education, action and lobbying. Around 50 people were engaged in lobbying around 40 MPs, and the whole experience has led to positive developments since. Plans have been laid for direct action, and Caroline Lucas, having spoken at our public meeting, has drafted a very positive amendment which includes all our key demands.
Amending the Trade Bill
The amendment to the Trade Bill laid down by Green MP Caroline Lucas involves scrapping corporate courts, ensuring that public services are excluded from trade deals and upholding environmental and social standards – exactly what we’re calling for. The campaign from here needs to focus on getting support for this amendment, which goes by the memorable name of NC3, from MPs.
The next phase of the bill is the report stage in the House of Commons, which is the stage that is being delayed. This means that there’s time to meet with your MP or write to them asking them to support Caroline’s amendment. Even if you’ve already met them, we encourage you to write back informing them of the amendment and why it’s important to support it.
Speaking on trade
Many local activists have now built up a level of expertise on trade issues which we want to make good use of. There is interest in talks from local Labour, Green SNP and trade unions branches which it would be a shame to miss because staff time is limited. If you’re interested in ocassionally speaking but need some help building or reinforcing speaking skills, check out our speaker training event – details on page 10.
Scotland trade update
We have an additional focus in Scotland too. While trade policy is reserved to Westminster, many of the impacts of trade deals are felt in areas of devolved policy such as food safety standards, environmental protection, the NHS and local procurement. So, the UK government needs the Scottish parliament to give its consent to the trade bill before it becomes law. We believe the Scottish parliament should withhold that consent until the bill is changed to ensure that elected politicians in Scotland have a say on all post-Brexit trade deals. The Finance and Constitution Committee of the Scottish parliament is holding an inquiry into the Trade Bill now. We have submitted evidence and also plan to do a photo stunt at the Scottish parliament and present committee members with an open letter signed by organisations and individuals from across Scotland. For more, contact Liz on liz.murray@globaljustice.org.uk
Guy Smallman
In Scotland, we’re calling on the SNP MPs to support amendments to the Trade Bill to ensure that all trade deals are subject to parliamentary scrutiny. Local groups and staff have been in touch with a number of
MPs, including the SNP’s trade spokesperson at Westminster, and have been assured that the SNP support our campaign. So we will be watching closely as the bill progresses.
Shadow trade secretary Barry Gardiner MP, Green leader Caroline Lucas MP, Mark Dearn of War on Want, Cecile Toubeau of European NGO Transport and Environment and Global Justice Now’s Guy Taylor at the Trade Bill Takedown public meeting in February.
March 2018 7
Migrant solidarity Two new printed materials are included with this mailing – our briefing on the hostile environment (which we sent a link to in February’s Think Global Extra) and our new graphic booklet making the case for global freedom of movement. Together, the arguments presented in these materials make a case for a new approach to migration that is radically different to what prevails in government today.
Migrant solidarity webinar
On the one hand, we present the arguments for a very ambitious approach to migration and borders - working towards a world in which there is free movement for everyone. We need to challenge the myths that migration is harmful to workers and communities, and expose the often deadly impacts that borders have. We are also commissioning a report to give a more detailed account of what global free movement would look like, which will be out later in the year.
• Why is it important to talk about global free movement? • What’s the ‘hostile environment’ and why is it a global justice issue? • What actions are most useful locally and what other groups can we work with? If you’d like to take part in the webinar, email Ed Lewis to receive details of how to join: ed.lewis@globaljustice.org.uk. While it is best to join using a computer with a microphone, it will also be possible to phone in.
On the other hand, our briefing on the hostile environment shows how the border regime is being spread throughout society. In an attempt to
Tuesday 27 March, 6.30-8pm Online with Aisha, policy manager, and Ed, national organiser Our new migration materials introduce new ideas and issues. For those who want to organise around the issue of migrant solidarity, we’re running a webinar on the issues and what action we can take. Questions we’ll address:
clamp down on so-called illegal immigrants, the hostile environment enlists health workers, teachers, landlords and many others as part of border enforcement, helping to create an underclass in society and depriving people of basic rights.
Opposition grows to the hostile environment The government’s hostile environment policy is starting to come under increasing pressure. In January, the Health Committee (MPs who scrutinise the government’s health policies) came out against the data sharing arrangement between the NHS and Home Office. They argued that it could undermine the NHS’s duty to respect confidentiality and has negative consequences for public health more generally. 8 March 2018
Meanwhile, at the end of February, Diane Abbott revealed Labour’s opposition to the hostile environment, which is a very positive development for this campaign. The hostile environment is increasingly being discussed in the mainstream media as well - it was raised on BBC Question Time by independent journalist Ash Sarkar. What was once an extremely obscure area of government policy is attracting more attention, making this an important time to step up awareness raising and campaigning against it.
Actions you can take locally
If you want to start to push the conversation locally, there are a few different things you could do: • Organise a discussion within your local group. Using either the hostile
environment briefing, the free movement booklet or both, talk through the issues. • Organise a public meeting. We will be happy to send speakers to discuss either the hostile environment or free movement. On the hostile environment, we are working with partner groups, and would look to include others as part of any local event. • Book a ‘difficult conversations’ training. We are still able to run these workshops, developed by Hope Not Hate, which are geared at helping activists persuade people who don’t already fully agree with a progressive position on migration. If you are interested in doing any of these, or simply if your group is interested in the migration campaign and would like to discuss it further, please contact Ed Lewis: ed.lewis@globaljustice.org.uk.
Groups and activism news Trade campaigning
As noted above, many groups have met with their MPs around the Trade Bill. For example, Global Justice Nottingham had a productive phone conference with the rebel Conservative MP Anna Soubry. York Trade Justice had a positive meeting with Rachael Maskell MP focused on lobbying strategy. With two of the three local MPs already on board with trade democracy, Global Justice Brighton and Hove upped the ante with a stall outside Hove MP Peter Kyle’s surgery. New group Global Justice Bournemouth organised for Alex Scrivener to talk on trade democracy at a Constituency Labour Party meeting. In Scotland, activists have also been lobbying MSPs and in January had a major success when the Holyrood parliament voted in support of the Trade Justice Scotland’s ten principles for just trade.
Alternatives
Several groups have been organising public meetings and educational activities. Our Future Now, Global Justice Now’s London youth group, have started a series on ‘systemic alternatives’, starting with a wellattended event on the idea of degrowth. Global Justice Portsmouth have been running events and discussions on trade and the idea of an Economy for the Common Good (which they recommend - see www.ecogood.org). Groups have also been taking other forms of action. Global Justice Cambridge helped organise a local One Day Without Us event on 17 February, while Global Justice Glasgow organised a pub quiz to raise money for their group.
March 2018 9
Climate justice As mentioned in the previous issue of Think Global, we’ve been experimenting with a new activist structure – a national working group on climate justice made up mainly of local activists. The group has now met three times, and has started to plan some work. The idea is not to run a full-blown national campaign on some aspect of climate justice, but rather to create an activist-led group which can build on our decadelong engagement with climate justice and ensure our voice is heard as part of a wider movement.
Divestment
There is a growing movement in the UK and globally to get public institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels companies, with already over 100 institutions of some sort committing to divestment in the UK. Efforts are focussed especially on local government pension funds, which make large investments and are susceptible to political pressure. Divestment campaigning isn’t primarily about financially crippling the fossil fuel industry – there are plenty of unscrupulous investors about to buy up shares that pension funds might sell after all – but about making fossil fuel companies into paraiahs, thereby attacking their political influence. The working group decided to focus our efforts for now on divestment campaigning, as we can draw on the existing resources of an already established movement, make a contribution and also bring an added perspective. You can find info about the divestment movement at gofossilfree.org/uk
Energy democracy
Jeremy Corbyn’s speech to Labour’s local government conference recently focused on the possibility of moving away from 10 March 2018
There is a growing divestment movement in many parts of the country, including in London, above.
outsourcing and corporate control. He mentioned Nottingham City Council’s Robin Hood Energy, and made the point that these kinds of public, democratic models of energy distribution were essential to the fight against climate change. It is encouraging that Labour is recognising this, although it is reflected patchily across Labour in local government. Labour’s Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, promised a publiclyrun Energy for Londoners in his manifesto, but in office has backed away from anything transformative, proposing instead a shell which simply buys services from one of the Big Six corporate energy providers. Global Justice Now joined Switched on London in a protest at London’s City Hall at the end of last year demanding a real public energy company and divestment of the London Pension Fund Authority.
Change the system leaflet
To set out our basic position on climate justice and reflect the fact we have a working group, we’ve produced a simple A5 leaflet. A sample is included with this issue of Think Global. If you’d like some, or would like to get involved in the working group, email activism@globaljustice.org.uk.
Events Speaker training
1pm to 6pm, Saturday 7 April Global Justice Now, 66 Offley Road, London SW9 0LS Nervous of speaking in public? Want to brush up your speaking skills? Speaking to groups is a crucial skill for social, environmental and economic justice activists. Join our day of speaker training and learn how to prepare and deliver talks that will make a difference. The day will include: • Learning about communicating key Global Justice Now issues and campaigns • Training from an experienced public speaker • Hints for building confidence • Tips for preparing well • How to get your key messages across • How to inspire action in others • Key rhetorical devices • And the chance to practice in front of a group in a safe space! This training will aim to equip you with the skills you need to go out and speak with confidence. Places are limited. To reserve please email activism@globaljustice.org.uk.
National activists’ meeting
11am-4.30pm, Saturday 28 April Quaker Meeting House, 10 St James Street, Sheffield S1 2EW Last time we held a national activists’ meeting, in October, it proved popular enough that some of the participants wanted to hold another in the spring, and were prepared to organise it themselves! The agenda will include updates on our campaigns, some social media training,
some training in effective facilitation of meetings and more. A basic lunch will be provided. Please let Global Justice Sheffield know you’re coming in advance by emailing: globaljusticesheffield@gmail.com
The World We Want
Global Justice Now’s national gathering 2pm-6.30pm, Saturday 16 June Priory Street Centre, 15 Priory Street, York Speakers will include Jason Hickel, author of The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and Its Solutions and Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central and Shadow Rail Minister Global Justice Now activists spend lots of time fighting the latest encroachments of corporate power. But the movements we’re part of are also generating ideas and building the world we want to see. These alternatives, from energy democracy to public and commons-based ownership of essential medicine, put the world’s people and the environment first. They are stepping stones to a better future, beyond the inequality and injustice of neoliberalism. Join us to for workshops on: Food sovereignty • Public ownership • The commons and access to medicine • Energy democracy • What good trade deals would look like • UK aid as global redistribution • Freedom of movement • Growth and degrowth The World We Want is being co-organised with the York Trade Justice group, and will be preceeded in the morning by our AGM, starting at 11am (registration, tea and coffee from 10.30). The venue is a short walk from York train station. More at globaljustice.org.uk/events March 2018 11
Current materials Our main campaigns Pharmaceuticals • • • • •
*NEW* MP BRIEFING: Pill and profits REPORT: Pills and profits LEAFLET: Sick of corporate greed ACTION CARD: Sick? PACK OF BRIEFINGS: Overview of the campaign • POSTER: imagine if the NHS couldn’t afford the medicine to save your life
Trade
• MP BRIEFING: Trade Bill • ACTION GUIDE: Twenty ways to fight for trade democracy • BRIEFING: Giving away control • DISCUSSION PAPER: Ten alternatives to a corporate trade agenda • BRIEFING: Trading with Trump
Migration
• *NEW* BRIEFING: Hostile environment • *NEW* ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET: Free movement • BRIEFING: Migrant crisis or poverty crisis?
Aid
• REPORT: The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund • REPORT: Re-imagining UK aid • BRIEFING: Re-imagining UK aid executive summary • REPORT: Honest Accounts 2017 - How the world profits from Africa’s wealth • REPORT: The privatisation of UK aid • REPORT: Gated development
Other work Climate and energy justice
• *NEW* LEAFLET: Change the system, not the climate • LEAFLET: Repowering the future: Municipal energy in practice • BRIEFING: Towards a just energy system
Food sovereignty
• BOOKLET: Farmers under fire • BRIEFING: Post-Brexit alternatives to the Common Agricultural Policy • BOOKLET: On Solid Ground (agroecology) • REPORT: From The Roots Up (agroecology) • BRIEFING: Problems with corporate controlled seeds • BRIEFING: From handouts to the super-rich to a hand-up for small-scale farmers
Exploring alternatives booklets
• BOOKLET: Another Economy is Possible economic democracy • BOOKLET: Seeds of Change - food sovereignty • BOOKLET: Rays of Hope - energy justice
General materials
• ACTIVIST READER: Making Another World Possible • BRIEFING: The Dangers of Trump • LEAFLET: Stop Trump coalition • ‘HOW TO’ GUIDES: Guides to various aspects of activism • SIGN-UP SHEET: Double-sided, Global Justice Now branded • STICKERS and BADGES • MAGAZINE: Latest issues of Ninety-Nine
Scotland specific materials
• BRIEFING: Scottish migration briefing • BRIEFING: Update for trade campaigners • BRIEFING: Principles for a just trade system You can now find this list online, with links to electronic versions of the materials so you can see what they’re like. Just go to globaljustice.org.uk/current-materials