Sources close to the mandate negotiations say that unlike the CETA (the Canadian EU trade negotiations) that there is at present no plan to exclude arrangements for health care and protection and in particular for the NHS in its different forms in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Because of the intense secrecy surrounding the proceedings it has been so far impossible to obtain any assurances on this crucial issue. The British press so far only cover the trade aspects.

Such [investment protection extended to private health contracts in the UK] could have the effect of health contracts being virtually retained in perpetuity with no democratic right for an incoming government to discontinue the contracts once their term had expired without being able to prove gross negligence and risking very heavy compensation payments. Ominously, the Prime Minister suggested that “everything must be on the table” in the negotiations.

It is why I have today presented a short Bill for the reinstatement of the English NHS.