Bolton West MP Chris Green has joined MPs from across the House of Commons to sign an amendment to the Queen’s speech, which would see the NHS safeguarded from a controversial EU-US free trade deal, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
Several votes on the Queen’s speech will take place today (Thursday 26 May, 2016) after the conclusion of the Queen’s speech debate.
Chris said:
“Over recent weeks, I have become increasingly concerned about the EU’s TTIP negotiations with the US. My constituents have made their concerns known about TTIP relating to privatisation of the NHS, food safety and environmental regulations and the potential for corporations to dictate to elected Governments.
“The secret negotiations currently underway have the potential to open up the EU’s public services, such as our health service, to US companies. This could lead to the privatisation of the NHS which is why I am supporting an amendment to the Queen’s Speech to ensure that the Government has mechanisms in place to stop this happening.
“We currently have no specific protection for the NHS but Cyprus has managed to negotiate specific protection for its ‘hairdressing services’, it is entirely reasonable that the British Government should legislate to ensure that the NHS is protected from TTIP.”