TO the members of the Finance and Constitution Committee of the Scottish Parliament,

As concerned members of Scotland’s civic society, we call on you to withhold your consent for the UK Government’s Trade Bill until that bill is amended to include provision for elected politicians in Westminster and in Holyrood to have a say in post-Brexit trade deals.

READ MORE: Holyrood set for second dramatic clash with Westminster over Trade Bill power grab

There is no doubt that Scotland will feel the effects of trade deals here: on our public services, our food safety standards and our laws to protect workers’ rights and the environment. Indeed only recently Prime Minister Theresa May refused to rule out giving US companies access to NHS contracts as part of a future trade deal with Donald Trump’s White House.

The Trade Bill currently contains no provisions for allowing parliamentary scrutiny, by Westminster or Holyrood, of existing or future trade deals. There is a clear democratic deficit, with the UK Government effectively able to set up, develop and finalise trade deals with no oversight or accountability.

We believe that it is vital that the Bill is amended to give elected politicians here in Scotland a say in all trade deals, now and in the future.

We call on you to withhold your consent of the Trade Bill until it is amended accordingly.

Liz Murray, Global Justice Now
Grahame Smith, Scottish Trade Union Congress
Robin McAlpine, Common Weal
Richard Dixon, Friends of the Earth Scotland
Kate Nivens, Amnesty International Scotland office
Jackson Cullinane, Unite the Union, Scotland
Dave Watson, UNISON Scotland
Andy Hogg, Prison Officers Association (Scotland)
Pete Ritchie, Nourish Scotland
Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Edinburgh branch
Paul Robison, Trade Justice Dundee
Steve Rolfe, Global Justice Glasgow
Arthur West, Global Justice Ayrshire
Graham Kemp, St Andrews TTIP Action Group
Jean Kemp, St Andrews Women for Independence
Common Weal Dundee
William Duguid, Common Weal Perth and Kinross
Phil McGarry, Chair, Peoples Assembly Scotland
Crossgate Centre, Cupar
Women's Anti-austerity Action Group in the Howe of Fife
Bob Gillespie, Common Weal Glasgow South
PLUS 750 individuals