THINK GLOBAL Act locally with Global Justice Now

November 2017 Contents Big pharma is making a killing out of public 02 Welcome money

03 News roundup Morten Thaysen Policy team

04 Trade democracy The pharmaceutical industry is probably the most profitable industry in the world and is certainly one of the most powerful. 06 Corporate power / It’s power that was used to sue South Africa for importing Pharmaceuticals cheap drugs during the AIDS pandemic, and to charge very high prices for a drug that could cure hepatitis C. 08 Migrant solidarity Today, essential medicines are priced out the of reach of 09 Aidwatch large parts of the world, leading to the preventable death of millions. The common defence for these costs is the need 10 Groups and for research and development (R&D), but this conveniently activism news overlooks the key role of public money in developing new drugs. And then there’s the huge costs of marketing. Most big 12 Current materials pharmaceutical companies spend more on this than they do on R&D. Both of these issues are exposed in our new report, Pills and Profits: How drug companies make a killing out of public money.

However, there has been inspiring resistance to the power of big pharmaceutical companies, such as the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa, which has been instrumental in securing the largest universal AIDS programme in the world. That’s why we’re so excited to be hosting Sibongile Tshabalala, national chair of the TAC, as part of our nationwide speaker tour this month. We’d really encourage you to get to one of the events if you can (listed on page 7).

Inserts But this isn’t just an issue for the global south – it affects us here in the UK as well. Last year alone the NHS spent more than Trade £1bn on drugs that were discovered with significant public • Trade democracy poster- funding. Essentially the public ends up paying twice for drugs leaflet - first when they are developed and then again when we buy • Trade white paper them. And in some cases UK patients have had to go without summary medicines discovered in the UK, because companies were charging too much money for the NHS to afford them. General • Ninety-Nine magazine, From South Africa to the UK, it’s the same multinational September 2017 issue pharmaceutical companies restricting access to medicine. Our new campaign is demanding that politicians put Pharmaceuticals affordability conditions on new health research. Over the long • Pills and Profits report term we need to overhaul the entire R&D system to make sure (groups only) we keep health technology under public control. A great way to start campaigning on these issues is with a stall on World Aids Day on 1 December or a screening of the film Fire in the Blood. See more info on page 6.

2 November 2017 News from Global Justice Now

In the media Climate justice working group We launched our new report on the Climate and energy issues remain a key pharmaceutical industry in October with an concern for Global Justice Now activists, hour-long BBC Radio 5 Live show – a must- and the next UNFCCC climate talks (COP23) listen. The report was also covered in the are in Bonn this November. The German Telegraph, Independent and the BBC News climate movement is mobilising to push website. governments not to backslide on the meagre commitments they made in Paris in 2015. Nick Dearden has written several comment pieces on trade recently - for the New In order to maintain a small campaign Statesman, Red Pepper, Al Jazeera stream on climate justice issues, we’re and Novara Media. Jean Blaylock was experimenting with a new structure - an interviewed on BBC World Service and activist-led network within Global Justice Radio 4 in September. Our stall at Labour Now of people interested in climate justice. conference was featured in the Daily Express, It’s actually more similar to the way ATTAC while our event at SNP conference made the groups in Europe work and we’re happy National. Aisha Dodwell, our policy manager, to report an initial meeting of about eight was quoted in the Guardian on aid following activists went well and two of them are now Priti Patel’s speech at the Conservative going to Bonn. conference. Some other activities are also planned. If When the Great Repeal Bill was introduced you’d like to get involved in this group please to parliament in September, we held a Henry email [email protected]. VIII stunt with Another Europe is Possible to protest the bill’s unaccountable powers. It was on all the main evening news bulletins New group websites (BBC, ITV, Channel 4), and there were photos As previously reported, those groups with in the Telegraph and the i. their own websites (as opposed to a single page on our main site) will soon be getting Local group activities have also made it a new look. The new template is now into the local press in both Manchester and designed and we will be applying it to each – see more info on page 10. site over the first weeks of November. We’ll email each group concerned when this has happened.

Pharmaceuticals Trade Action Organise a stall around the Plan to attend the the National time of World Aids Day. Action for Trade Democracy, 5-6 February 2018. checklist Put on a screening of Fire In The Blood. Submit a response to trade white paper if you have Promote and come along to time before the 6 November a speaker tour event. deadline. Migration Organise a “Having difficult conversations” workshop.

November 2017 3 Trade democracy

Global Justice Glasgow holds a stunt outside SNP conference

It’s been an exciting couple of months for the an opportunity we intend to use, together debate around the future of UK trade. Our with the Trade Justice Scotland Coalition (to push for greater democratic accountability which we belong), to push for a trade policy on future UK trade deals is beginning to based on democracy and social justice. yield results, with more and more politicians backing our stance. DIARY DATE: National Action Labour’s shadow trade secretary, Barry for Trade Democracy, 5-6 Gardiner, told the TUC that his party would February 2018 “fight every step of the way to ensure the Trade Bill provides for proper parliamentary To build on this momentum, we are seeking scrutiny of trade deals in the future”. He also to escalate the campaign for trade reaffirmed the fact that Labour “rejects the democracy through a significant mobilisation concept of ISDS in all its forms”. early in 2018, organised jointly with War on Want. Over two days there will be a mixture Also, at the time of writing, 101 MPs from of training, education, action on the street various parties had signed early day motion and a mass lobby of MPs at Westminster, as 128 that calls for parliamentary scrutiny of well as opportunities to meet other activists trade deals. and strengthen the national network of trade campaigners. So our campaign for trade democracy is gathering a head of steam at Westminster. Monday 5 February (in and around the City Meanwhile in Scotland, the SNP’s trade of London, starting around lunchtime) spokesperson Hannah Bardell called for • Trade impact tour: take a walk around Scotland to develop its own trade policy – London hot spots to unveil the real impact

4 November 2017 that the next raft of free trade deals MP lobbying could have locally. We’re currently focusing our lobbying efforts • Public meeting: ‘Trading with Trump: a post nightmare?’ A panel discussion on increasing the number of MPs who’ve to debate the latest developments in signed Early Day Motion 128. The total trade deal negotiations. Speakers tbc. number of signatories is 101 at the time of • Trade activists meet-up: join other activists writing, with 38 out of the 59 Scottish MPs to talk trade politics over some food and having signed it due to the hard work of a social. Scottish activists. This means the EDM is now the fourth most popular in this parliamentary Tuesday 6 February (based in and around session, and there’s no reason why we can’t parliament) get this even higher in the list. You can check the latest list of signatories here: • Trade democracy demo: we’ll gather in www.parliament.uk/edm. a central location with banners, chants and speakers to make our views known. • Mass lobby of MPs: meet your MP, present If your MP has yet to sign, you can take the the arguments for trade democracy and action on our website at globaljustice.org.uk/ try and convince them to support our campaigns/trade. Better still, write to them key demands. There will be support in in your own words outlining your concerns lobbying skills before this. and the need for trade democracy. We’re especially keen to see more centre ground We’re encouraging people to come for the Labour MPs sign up to the campaign so if full mobilisation, but obviously not everyone you’re in one of these constituencies, all the will be able to do so, and each event will more reason to have a go at lobbying your work as a stand-alone activity as well. MP directly. More information, check out our website globaljustice.org.uk/events. It’s also worth noting that frontbench Conservative MPs (ie those who are part The event page will be updated as of the government) do not sign EDMs as a plans progress. For people needing matter of course. The parliamentary tradition accommodation in London, there will be a is that frontbench Labour MPs (shadow list of recommended options on this page. ministers) do not sign EDMs either, although it is still worth asking as some recent shadow ministers have been known to. Liam Fox’s white paper The Department for However, whoever your MP is, there are two International Trade, led by DEADLINE further requests we’d encourage you to Liam Fox, has released a Monday 6 make: white paper called Preparing November for Our Future UK Trade Policy. • Ask them to attend the trade democracy campaign parliamentary launch on 21 It is available online at www.gov. November, chaired by Caroline Lucas uk/government/publications/preparing-for- (12.30-1.30pm, Room C, 1 Parliament our-future-uk-trade-policy Street). • Ask them to write a letter to the trade We encourage groups and activists to submit secretary, Liam Fox, about scrutiny of responses to the white paper. The white future trade deals. paper invites responses to be sent by email to [email protected]. Lastly, if you do organise a lobbying meeting uk by 6 November. To help you do this, see with your MP, please fill in the Citizens the insert summarising the white paper and Researcher Action. You can find this in the guide to responses. shared drive at globaljustice.org.uk/drive.

November 2017 5 Corporate power/ Pharmaceuticals

Activists in South Africa protest pharmaceutical company proftis and patient deaths

New report but still a million people a year die from AIDS, Last month, we launched our new report: and even if some cheaper HIV medication is Pills and Profits: How drug companies make now available, there are still big problems. If a killing out of public research. The report HIV positive patients experience side effects exposes how publicly funded research and or become resistant to older, cheaper drugs, development of new drugs gets bought up they require newer ‘third-line’ options that by drug companies who then sell the drugs cost at least 18 times as much. at extortionate prices back to the NHS. The report is a joint initiative with StopAIDS and Even in the UK some HIV medications are will be used for advocacy and lobbying. still restricted, such as PrEP (Pre-exposure We have included one copy for the group prophylaxis) which can prevent you from contacts, please contact the office you getting HIV if you’re in a high risk group. The would like more copies. effectiveness of PrEP was proven in a largely UK-funded study, but still Gilead (which sells PrEP) is demanding so much money for it, the Take action on World Aids Day, NHS can’t afford it. 1 December The leaflets, posters and scratch cards sent World AIDS Day is on 1 December and it’s in the September Think Global can form a great opportunity do a stall and to talk the basis of a stall kit. There are plenty more to people about problems with access to in the office. Emailtamara.hopewell@ medicine. HIV medication has been a key globaljustice.org.uk to order more materials. battle ground between big pharmaceutical companies and patients as described in the documentary Fire in the Blood (see below). There has been some improvement since,

6 November 2017 Fire in the Blood – film Sick of corporate greed screenings speaker tour dates Fire in the Blood is an internationally acclaimed documentary that tells the story 31 October: LONDON of how Western pharmaceutical companies 7pm, Seven Dials Club, 42 Earlham Street, and governments aggressively blocked London WC2H 9LA access to low-cost AIDS drugs for the countries of Africa and the global south in 1 November: READING the years after 1996 - causing ten million or 7.30pm, RISC, 35-39 London Street, Reading more unnecessary deaths. The story is told RG1 4PS through contributions from campaigners and global figures such as Bill Clinton, Desmond 2 November: LEEDS Tutu and Joseph Stiglitz. 7pm, Woodhouse Community Centre, 197 Woodhouse Street, Leeds LS6 2NY We have acquired a license to screen this film in 10 locations, so if you would like to 3 November: LIVERPOOL organise a public screening of the film in your 7.30pm, The Casa Bar, 29 Hope Street, local area, please get in touch with Tamara: Liverpool L1 9BQ [email protected] 4 November: BRISTOL For more information and to see a trailer: 2.30pm, Quaker Meeting House, Champion fireintheblood.com Square, Bristol BS2 9DB 7 November: DUNDEE Speaker tour 7pm, Dalhousie LT1, Dundee University At the time of writing we are preparing to 8 November: NOTTINGHAM host our South African speaker Sibongile Tshabalala, who was recently elected 7pm, Friends Meeting House, 25 Clarendon national chair of the Treatment Action Street, Nottingham NG1 5JD Campaign. TAC has been at the forefront of 9 November: BRIGHTON the struggle for access to medicine in South Africa. 7pm, Brighthelm Centre, North Road, Brighton BN1 1YD The speaker tour will be part of our public 10 November: FALMOUTH launch of the campaign along with the report launch for which we got substantial 6pm, Lecture Hall 1, Woodlane Campus, coverage (see page 3). Falmouth TR11 4RH Speaker tour leaflet

November 2017 7 Migrant solidarity

Recent activities We organised a successful fringe meeting at Labour party conference in September on the importance of defending free movement, and also extending it beyond the EU. We also took part in The World Transformed and organised an event discussing open borders.

In September we joined the Stop The Arms Fair week of protest. Working with migrant groups we organised on the day of action aimed at preventing the privatisation of borders and showing solidarity with migrants and refugees who suffer violence at borders.

Campaign direction Global Justice Now staff have been engaging in an extensive period of outreach Global Justice Glasgow has produced these to partners in the migrant rights field in fantastic Paddington Bear t-shirts. They’re happy share information about how to make them. order to develop our campaign plans and strengthen relationships, while a number of groups have been building stronger local Group support on migration relationships in this area. Based on this, and Following the group survey earlier this year, outreach to Global Justice Now groups we have started contacting groups that are that we have begun (see below), we are most interested in migration campaigning developing plans for campaigning and to discuss potential local activities with them education around two themes. and to inform our national campaign plans. If your group would like to have a conversation First, the ‘hostile environment’ for migrants with us, email [email protected]. that is being created in the UK, ranging across the media, access to public services and the law. This is a very immediate ‘Having difficult conversations andd practical campaign which allies in about migration’ workshops the migrant rights movement are already working on. We are now able to provide more ‘How to have difficult conversations about migration’ Secondly, however, we want to focus some workshops, previously provided by Hope Not policy work on developing the arguments Hate. These workshops explore techniques we need to build a movement towards for trying to persuade people that don’t open borders and free movement globally. already completely agree with a progressive By introducing these ideas into mainstream approach to migration. If you would like to debates we can both build towards a long book a workshop, email term goal and shift the terms of the debate [email protected]. around migration in the short run.

8 November 2017 Aidwatch National activists’ Facebook group At September’s Conservative Party The aim of this group is to share info on conference, it was clear that our work local campaigning in a less formal way. campaigning against for-profit private If you’re on Facebook, search ‘Global development consultants profiting off the aid Justice Now activists’ and request to join. budget has been having an impact. Google drive Priti Patel, the secretary of state for To help Global Justice Now activists international development, announced in share resources and information, we’ve her conference speech the government’s created a shared Google drive. This is a plans to crack down on excessive place where documents and files can be shared by anyone (so it is crucial that profiteering from the aid budget by private you do not include sensitive information). consultants. We also did successful media Find it at globaljustice.org.uk/drive. work on the issue, including coverage in the Guardian. And we hope to have some more Riseup list high profile media coverage later this year. This is an interactive email list for GJN activists which any member can post Our aid report Re-imagining UK Aid, which to. It’s actually a pretty low traffic list, but was launched in July, has been well received it’s especially useful if you’re an active by politicians and others in the aid industry. member of a group who isn’t the group Global Justice Now staff have been invited contact, as the activism team uses it to meet with parliamentarians and various to get relatively urgent info out from aid practitioners to share our ideas for time to time. Email sam.lund-harket@ how the UK aid budget could be spent globaljustice.org.uk to be added. to ensure it truly addresses poverty and inequality overseas. We have also been invited to speak at various events, including parliamentary events and NGO conferences.

In addition, we co-organised a fringe event at this year’s Labour party conference on the future of aid spending and spoke alongside shadow secretary of state for international development Kate Osamor to help shape the future of Labour’s development policy.

We are now busy researching for a new publication looking into a particular fund supported by UK aid – the Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). We hope that this will be ready for publication in December.

November 2017 9 Groups and activism news

Party conference and trade Global Justice Bradford successfully actions lobbied two local MPs, Naz Shah and , to sign EDM 128, demanding trade A Donald Trump doppelganger – a.k.a Steve democracy and got the story covered in and Bob from Global Justice Glasgow – their local paper. greeted Scottish National Party delegates as they arrived at their autumn conference. In September Alison Skinner, chair of Global Waving a rubber ‘chlorinated’ chicken and Justice Leicester, spoke to the Leicester handing out leaflets, Trump was there to Trades Council monthly meeting about highlight our conference fringe event on the our new trade campaign. There was a lot dangers of post-Brexit trade deals and the of interest and there may be potential for need for Scotland to have a voice on trade partnership as the campaign develops. The deals – which was later proposed by the SNP group is also hoping to co-organise a Don’t (see the trade section above). Dump Fairtrade demo at a local Sainsbury’s on the day of action 28 October.

Festivals and outreach activities

Groups and activists have been getting out and about engaging people on the street or at events…

Global Justice Manchester organised a similar stunt at the Conservative Party conference demonstration, with another Trump doppleganger waving a chlorinated chicken, dancing with a masked Liam Fox. The group got 50 trade postcards signed and a photo in the Manchester Evening News.

Global Justice Nottingham used the Giant Corporate Monopoly board at the Green Festival in September. It attracted a lot of attention and was the starting point for some good conversations (picture above).

Global Justice Leicester had a stall at a CND peace event alongside other groups, using the opportunity to talk to more people about their activities. The group have also

10 November 2017 managed to secure a permanent exhibition of workshops on alternatives to neoliberal for the Monsanto photos at a local Asian capitalism. neighbourhood centre.

Global Justice Merseyside have been out Public meetings on the street promoting campaigns around Groups across the country have been migrants’ rights and food sovereignty. organising public meetings on everything They also teamed up with Global Justice from trade justice to migrants’ rights to food Bolton teamed up to run a stall a Wigan sovereignty. Diggers Festival, where the giant Corporate Monopoly proved an effective tool to Global Justice Derby organised a public engage people. meeting with Nick Dearden about trade and Brexit.

Global Justice Reading organised a public meeting, ‘Putting people before profit – building a new global economy’ with Nick Dearden. It was part of Reading International Festival and attracted 75 people.

Global Justice Bristol organised a public meeting and community meal exploring the links between migration and the food system, with speakers from Migrant Right’s Network, FoodCycle Bristol and Real Economy Bristol. Rotherham for Global Justice ran a stall focusing on the trade campaign at Global Justice Shropshire organised their Rotherham Mela (picture above). most successful ever public meeting, with Patrick Holden, CEO of Sustainable Food Global Justice Cambridge used the giant Trust speaking to over 100 people. Corporate Monopoly game to run a stall at the Cherry Hinton Village Festival., where the game went down well.

Youth action Global Justice York (youth group) organised a well-attended public meeting and campaign training on migration and are organising a postcard campaign for the women and children held in Yarl’s Wood detention centre as a follow-up.

In Falmouth, following a successful fresher’s fair stall, FXU Global Justice Now organised a screening of Fire in the Blood and are hosting an event as part of the speaker tour.

Our Future Now, the Global Justice Now London youth group, are working on a series

November 2017 11 Current materials

Food sovereignty Pharmaceuticals • BOOKLET: Farmers under fire • **NEW REPORT: Pills and profits • BRIEFING: Post-Brexit alternatives to the • LEAFLET: Sick of corporate greed Common Agricultural Policy • ACTION CARD: Sick? • BOOKLET: On Solid Ground (agroecology) • PACK OF BRIEFINGS • REPORT: From The Roots Up (agroecology) • POSTER: imagine if the NHS couldn’t afford • BRIEFING: Problems with corporate the medicine to save your life controlled seeds • BRIEFING: From handouts to the super-rich to a hand-up for small-scale farmers General materials • REPORT: Re-imagining UK aid Energy justice • BRIEFING: Re-imagining UK aid executive • LEAFLET: Repowering the future: Municipal summary energy in practice • BRIEFING: Decimating rights (Great Repeal • BRIEFING: Towards a just energy system Bill) • REPORT: Honest Accounts 2017 - How the Trade world profits from Africa’s wealth • BRIEFING: Twenty ways to fight for trade • BRIEFING: The Dangers of Trump democracy • LEAFLET: Stop Trump coalition • BRIEFING: Giving away control • ‘HOW TO’ GUIDES: Guides to various • ACTION CARD: Dangerous deals done in aspects of activism the dark • SIGN-UP SHEET: Double-sided, Global • DISCUSSION PAPER: Ten alternatives to a Justice Now branded corporate trade agenda • STICKERS and BADGES • BRIEFING: Trading with Trump • LEAFLET: ‘There is No Alternative’ • LEAFLET/POSTER: If you lIked TTIP you’ll love membership leaflet CETA • POSTER: Trumped up world • BRIEFING: CETA: TTIP’s little brother • MAGAZINE: Latest issue of Ninety-Nine • BRIEFING: Five reasons TTIP and CETA are a disaster for the climate • REPORT: TTIP and tax justice Scotland specific materials • BRIEFING: Regulatory Cooperation • BRIEFING: Scottish migration briefing • BRIEFING: Update for trade campaigners Migration • BRIEFING: Principle for a just trade system • POSTER: Bin the Daily Mail - Migrants welcome here You can now find this list online, with links to • ACTION SLIP: M&S stop funding hate electronic versions of the materials so you can • POSTER: M&S stop funding hate see what they’re like. Just go to • BRIEFING: Migrant crisis or poverty crisis? globaljustice.org.uk/current-materials

Exploring alternatives booklets • BOOKLET: Another Economy is Possible - economic democracy • BOOKLET: Seeds of Change - food sovereignty • BOOKLET: Rays of Hope - energy justice