PM says claims from opponents of the deal that it will undermine the NHS are ‘bogus nonsense’

David Cameron has signalled he will take on the trade union opponents of the US-EU trade deal, insisting their arguments that it would lead to the privatisation of the health service were “bogus nonsense”.



Speaking at the G20 summit in Brisbane, the prime minister said the EU and the US president, Barack Obama, had agreed to speed up the negotiations aimed at achieving a transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP).

It was “time to take on some of the opponents of this deal and expose the arguments against it”, he said. “This is good for Britain – good for growth and British families.”

Sections of the trade union movement, campaign groups and and parts of the Labour party are virulently opposed to the deal, claiming it will undermine the NHS and expose it to private sector competition.

Cameron said that was an “empty threat” that needed to be knocked on the head.

“We have to take on the arguments. I think they are very weak. There are people who argue that this in some way could damage the National Health Service. That is nonsense. It is ... in the public sector, it will stay in the public sector – that is not going to change. There is no threat to the NHS from TTIP.

“Everyone has agreed that this is a deal that we want to do. It is part of the European Commission mandate. These deals only work if you get on with the negotiations and start making agreements, otherwise people who for whatever reason oppose these deals start gaining some traction”.

He said there was a “classic free trade argument” that the deal would create jobs and investment.

“The opportunities for Britain to trade more with America are there for all to see.”

He admitted that some were nervous about a deal, but said both the US and EU had an interest in ensuring it helped regulate food and environmental standards.

Cameron declined to comment on reports suggesting the British Jihadi believed to be responsible for executing hostages in Syria had been injured or even killed in allied airstrikes.

He said he wanted justice for the “appalling acts” carried out in Syria, but would not comment on individual strikes.

“If people travel to Syria or Iraq in order to conduct terror operations against British people or British citizens, and people back in Britain, they are putting themselves in harm’s way and they should not be in any doubt that.”