REBEL Tories are to support a bid to protect the health service from the controversial TTIP deal in a move that could cause the first government defeat in a Sovereign’s Speech vote in almost 100 years.
Pro-Brexit Tories have signed a cross-party amendment aimed at safeguarding the NHS from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal, which paves the way for further privatisation.
If it passes, it would be the first defeat on the Sovereign’s Speech for a government since 1924. Former cabinet minister Peter Lilley said: “I support free trade. But TTIP introduces special courts which are not necessary for free trade, will give American multinationals the right to sue our government, but not vice versa, and could put our NHS at risk.
“I cannot understand why the Government has not tried to exclude the NHS. I and other Tory MPs successfully lobbied to bring a failing private Surgicenter serving our constituencies back into the NHS.
“It would have been impossible, or hugely costly, under TTIP had there had been an American owner who could have sued the NHS in a TTIP court.”
The amendment says MPs “respectfully regret that a Bill to protect the National Health Service from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership was not included” in the Queen’s Speech.
If selected, a vote will take place on Thursday, as the EU referendum purdah period begins.
Yesterday, Downing Street said it had not seen the amendment and would consider the contents carefully before indicating the Government’s response.
A spokesman said: “The health service is completely protected under this agreement. That’s been made very clear by the European commissioner for trade, who said member states do not have to open public health services to competition from private providers, nor do they have to outsource services to private providers.
“The US negotiator has also agreed to that position and said it will not require governments to privatise any service.”
Prime Minister David Cameron has previously dismissed concerns over the future of the NHS under TTIP as “the reddest of red herrings”. Visiting London last month, US President Barack Obama said he hoped TTIP would be concluded before he leaves office.
Meanwhile, party leaders Nicola Sturgeon, Carwyn Jones, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness have all signed a pledge by the Unite union to veto TTIP unless the NHS is kept out of it, with Jeremy Corbyn, Natalie Bennett, Leanne Wood and Patrick Harvie also among the signatories.
Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: “Legal advice from a top QC shows that the NHS is at serious risk from TTIP. This threat has become a real issue in the EU referendum debate.
“The amendment gives MPs a unique opportunity to neutralise the NHS as an EU referendum issue and to protect our health service from irreversible privatisation. This is a chance that the UK cannot afford to miss.
“Once TTIP is signed the UK will be locked into the deal for two decades. The UK will lose its sovereignty to make important decisions on health and you can say goodbye to the NHS as we know it.
“The leaders of the main political parties across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have already signed an historic pledge calling on David Cameron to protect the NHS from TTIP. The people of this country do not believe it is right for the NHS to be part of this deal.”
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