Monday 18th January 2021. MPs voted AGAINST the Lords’ decision that the NHS should be protected in the most recent Trade Bill that affects talks and deals with the USA.
Hands Off Hinchingbrooke agreed with We Own It and many other campaigns that MPs had a “moral duty” to protect parts of the NHS from being handed over, and protect patient data etc. in trade deals and it was hard to believe that this was the second time that this matter has had to be voted on in 6 months. Surely all MPs want to protect the NHS from the USA private health companies, don’t they?
Speaking on the forthcoming debate in parliament, We Own It campaigner Johnbosco Nwogbo said:
“This year, we’ve relied on our precious NHS more than ever before. It’s saved thousands of lives and it’s helped us fight back against this terrible pandemic. We’ve seen just how important it is, and why we can never let it be dismantled. That’s why it’s so shocking that the Trade Bill contains no protections for our NHS.”
What is confusing to HOH is the fact that Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly was in the House of Commons, taking part in the Trade Bill debate, arguing for higher scrutiny by MPs of future trade deals… YET on this matter he voted down the Lords’ amendments to exclude the NHS from future trade deals with the USA.
This link is the video of Mr Djanogly speaking: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news/westminster-news/we-own-it-on-post-brexit-nhs-protections-6908624?jwsource=cl
Voting aginst protecting the NHS seems odd when a new poll by Survation has found that three-quarters of Britons are worried about the impact a trade deal with the USA could have on the price the NHS pays for drugs.
The poll found that 77% of the public were worried that a trade deal with the USA would increase the price the NHS pays for drugs, compared to just 18% who say they are not worried.
We would invite readers to join us in asking Mr Djanogly why he did not vote in favour of protecting the NHS in future trade deals with the USA and other countries who may want to embed themselves in our health service.
We look forward to hearing his reply.