MANY people are involved in local campaigns to protect the National Health Service, oppose fracking, or tackle fuel poverty. However, largely unknown to the general public, the EU is negotiating a trade deal with the US which would affect all of these issues and many more. If the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is agreed, it will give big business the right to sue the UK government over legislation that they believe might reduce their profits.

This would mean a future UK government could be sued for trying to return the NHS to full public ownership. It would make a freeze on energy prices, proposed by some politicians, difficult if not impossible to achieve. And it would lead to a fracking boom, as the government would be powerless to prevent fracking companies from doing as they please.

Awareness of the dangers of the TTIP is growing, and groups like the World Development Movement are coming together to oppose it.

I hope readers will share my concerns, learn more about this problem and join the campaign against TTIP.

JOHN WOOD

London Road

Cheltenham