Tory MPs have voted to keep the NHS on the table in trade deals

Yesterday, Conservative MPs failed their constituents and voted against the amendments to the Trade Bill that we need to protect our NHS from future trade deals. 

During the Trade Bill’s Report Stage, the final step before the Bill is submitted to the House of Lords, MPs had the opportunity to back two key amendments that would have helped keep our NHS safe. Leading up to the vote, you sent over 18000 emails to MPs across the UK asking them to do the right thing.
 
Hundreds of people took the brave step of training up and holding a meeting with their elected representative. Countless letters were published in local newspapers across the country. This should have been democracy in action. But the Conservatives are throwing democracy out the window: ignoring their constituents and voting against parliamentary scrutiny of trade deals.

After six months of promising that the NHS is in safe hands, Tory MPs have clearly demonstrated that they are not prepared to follow hollow words up with the action required to take our NHS ‘off the table’. 

What were the amendments and how did MPs vote? 

Caroline Lucas and Labour’s amendment was voted down: 340 to 251 votes. This clause would have protected the NHS and publicly funded health and care services in other parts of the UK from any form of control from outside the UK. How did your MP vote? Search here. 

Jonathan Djanogly’s amendment was also defeated by his fellow Conservative MPs, with 263 votes in favour to 326 against. If it had passed, this would have given MPs and peers a say on any new agreement signed by the government. How did your MP vote? Find out here. 

This leaves our NHS exposed, and MPs without a final say on future deals. The government promised to ‘take back control’ and keep the NHS off the table, but they have done the opposite.

Feeling outraged? You’re not alone.

People across the country have been expressing their feelings of frustration and anger at this blatant disregard for democracy. 

Add your voice and make the noise our NHS needs:

Sign the petition for the Lords to protect our NHS
The Trade Bill will now go through the House of Lords, so it’s time to call on the Lords to support the parliamentary scrutiny of future trade deals we need to keep Trump’s hands off our NHS. 

Sign here

Write to your local paper
Send a letter to your local newspaper to spread the word about how your MP voted on Monday. Show your MP that they are accountable to the people in their constituency, and that this vote will be remembered.

Tweet your MP
If your MP voted against either amendment, directly @ them and ask ‘Why did you betray your constituents and vote against protecting our NHS from future trade deals?’.