Hot Topic Brexit: Is TTIP Really Relevant to the Referendum Debate?

TTIP, a trade agreement between the United States of America and the EU, which could open the door for corporations to sue governments who legislate against privatization, has been a hot topic for some time, most recently in relation to Britain's NHS and food regulations, but is it really a useful bargaining chip for Brexit campaigners? Is it really relevant to the EU discussion?

Britain's Prime Minister, David Cameron, has been a long-running advocate of the controversial trade agreement, but not all EU leaders feel the same. 

The US trade deal would require all 28 member states to come to a mutual agreement, and while the British Government's support seems to be strong, several key European leaders have threatened to block the controversial deal due to the imposition of unregulated free trade.

As TTIP is seen as depending on European Union membership, it seems logical to suggest that leaving the EU could protect Britain, however, with David Cameron showing such support for the trade deal many have suggested that he could sign a post-EU Britain up to a TTIP-style agreement with the USA, without having to rely on other European leaders' backing.

"With its attack on workers' rights, democracy and public services — TTIP and trade deals of this kind will always be in Cameron's interest. Regardless of EU membership or not, the Tories will more than likely find more ways to hand money and power to their friends in the corporate world," Cat Boyd, an activist and spokesperson for Global Justice Now told Sputnik.

David Martin, Scotland's senior MEP and European Socialist Group spokesperson on trade, told Sputnik:

"The reality is TTIP does not support either the exit or remain arguments concerning the UK's position in the European Union referendum. Even if the UK were to vote to leave the EU, a Cameron or Tory Government could still negotiate their own TTIP, and the outcome would be much worse as the Cameron Government are much more gung-ho free marketeers than the European Commission, which would mean we would ask for far fewer concessions from the US. Plus our negotiating position would be much weaker outside the EU because we have a much smaller market for the Americans to trade into."

However, as nobody is able to predict how post-EU trade agreements may take shape, it looks like the "leave the EU to save our NHS" rhetoric may continue to be one of the Brexit campaign's top slogans for some time.