WE NEED to start asking questions and demanding answers.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is being negotiated between the US and the EU behind closed doors and threatens democracy. The “precautionary principle” is out and “privatisation” is in.

A large gathering at the Friends Meeting House in York last week discovered that this is what is at stake:

1. Corporations can sue governments over regulations that could harm their profits… such as trying to protect the NHS and our education system against privatisation.

2. “Harmonising” food safety regulations will lower EU standards to those of the US leaving us wide open to GM, banned pesticides and hormone-treatment for beef.

3. The same “harmonisation” will leave us at the mercy of a fracking boom. Are we in favour of leaving our environment in the hands of big business profiteers?

4. If we reduce employee rights to the lowest common denominator, what happens to the minimum wage?

5. The Government’s attempt at financial regulation, such as banking safeguards, would be up for grabs.

6. Apparently there is talk of forcing internet providers to divulge customer information.

7. While corporate lobbyists are part of these secret negotiations, neither the public nor our MPs can gain full access to what is going on behind closed doors.

Sue Lister, York.