Harold Best, Labour MP for the wards of Headingly, Weetwood, Cookridge and Otley & Wharfdale, replied to my letters on the 4th of November, stating that he believes there is 'a real danger of a fundamental clash between the "Haves" and the "Have Nots" of our world'. He is 'keen to support calls for a full and comprehensive assessment of the imact of GATS and its implications'.

He included four MP petitions:

First: 30 signatures stating that 'this house condemns the interference of the USA in the internal democratic affairs of the Republic of Venezuela and in particular its covert attempts to secure the removal of President Chavez, whose government has used the country's considerable oil reserves to launch a programme to tackle povert, including specific measure targeted at women, such as the constitutional recognition of unwaged housework as econonmically productive, entitling housewives to social security benefits, the priortisation of single mothers and indigenous people for land distribution, the guaranteeing of food for pregnant women and nursing mothers, and the significant increase in access to education and decent housing for the poor'.

Second: 237 signatures stating that 'this house notes with concern that Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world in which to be a trade unionist with 184 people killed in 2002 for their trade uinion activities, more thatn the rest of the world combined; further notes that the overwhelming majority of abuses against trade unionist are carried out bu paramilitary organisations which have documented links to the Colombian state security forces; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to freeze all military and securfity assistance to Colombia until the bonds between the state and paramilitary forceds are severed, in accoradance with the policies of Colombia, Uk and internatinoal human rights organisations an dtrade unions, such as the TUC backed Justice for COlombia coalition and development charity War on Want'.

Third: 26 signatures stating that 'this house expresses deep concern at the seizing of web servers belonging to he independent media organisation Indymedia; request that the Home Secretary explains under what authority their wholly independent news service was prevented from functioning; and expresses its disquiet at this attack on freedom of speech via the internet'.

Fourth: 194 signatures stating that 'this house welcomes the Government;s commitment to the UN's pledge to halve the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015; notes that access to water is the most basic of human rights; notes concern that water for human use is included as a proposal under current nefotiations of the GATS at the WSTO, and that once a conty committs its water sector to GATS, this commitment is effecively irreversible, irrespective of consequences; further notes that current GATS negotiations could threated the extension of clean water supply to poorest communities by undermining pro-poor policies such as preference for public or or not for profit providers; and calls on the UK Government to persuade EU counterparts to withdraw its proposal to bring water for human use into the GATS negotiations'.

Here lies a set of information that says some of this government cares about what is happening in this world... so why is nothing happening!!!! Write to your MP asking if they have signed the formentioned petitions, and if not, why not! If you want to know if your MP was on the list, you can email me and i will check through the petitions.
Whatsmore, should we not question this 'allegiance' with the US, when MP's themselves have signed petitions denouncing the US? Ask why the UK continues support despite these crimes.

Ask why there has not been much in the way of progress with Indymedia?

Hope this is of some use to people.

Sparta