Scotland news

SNP MP (and health spokesperson for the party in Westminster) Philippa Whitford has publicly supported the TRIPS waiver of patents on Covid-19 vaccines but the Scottish government is yet to come out publicly and say anything on this issue. We want to put pressure on the Scottish government to speak out in support of the patent waiver - ideally before the TRIPS Council meeting at the World Trade Organisation in mid-October, so that it further isolates the UK in its opposition.

One way of doing that is via parliamentary pressure from MSPs. So we’re aiming to get a majority of MSPs to sign the motion put down by Labour MSP Sarah Boyack in the Scottish parliament that calls for an end to vaccine apartheid. Currently there are 50 MSPs supporting this motion, with15 more are needed to make a majority. If you live in Scotland: • Take the e-action to your MSPs and share it with friends and family: https://bit.ly/3BtzoxG • And if you’d like to help further with contacting other MSPs then please get in touch: thorn.house@globaljustice.org.uk

In Scotland, our campaign for banks to cancel the debt of countries in the global south continues to focus on Zambia. The country was the first African country to default on its sovereign debt in the pandemic. It is also one of four countries that the Scottish government identifies as an international development partner and gives a small amount of aid to.

In September we organised an action in Edinburgh, protesting outside three of the banks that have bonds in Zambia’s debts: HSBC, UBS, and Aberdeen Standard Investment – or Abrdn plc as it has rebranded itself. It was great to have a number of Global Justice Now supporters with Zambian links at the protest. Earlier in the week we also projected ‘Blackrock: Cancel the debt’ onto the company’s offices. Blackrock is another creditor that has significant bonds in Zambia’s debts.

If you’d like to find out more, or hold a stall on this issue we have a briefing and leaflet on why Zambia’s debts need to be cancelled: globaljustice.org.uk/zambias-debt

In Scotland for the Corporate Courts vs The Climate day of action, we focused on Clyde & Co, a law firm in the top 30 investment arbitration firms globally. Recently it was involved in an international arbitration case between Edinburgh-based oil buccaneers Cairn Energy and the Indian government.

In Edinburgh, we projected ‘Corporate courts block climate action’ onto the offices of Clyde & Co. Meanwhile, in Glasgow members of the local group stood outside the Clyde & Co offices in their city with placards, giving out leaflets to passers-by, explaining the problems of corporate courts.

We also have a new Trade Justice Scotland Coalition briefing for MSPs that focuses particularly on how trade deals block climate change. Scottish campaigners can use it to talk to your MSP about the issues. Download the briefing here: https://bit.ly/3CIhmZd

Global Justice Now Scotland runs a monthly online group for campaigners who don’t have a local group near them. It’s a good way to meet and keep in touch with other activists in Scotland. If you’d like to come along, just email Jane: jane.herbstritt@globaljustice.org.uk