DAVID Cameron has been accused of a “humiliating climbdown” to avoid a possible Commons defeat on the Queen’s Speech by agreeing to sign up to a cross-party move to exclude the NHS from the terms of a controversial EU-US trade deal.

As many as 25 Tory Eurosceptics planned to support Labour and the SNP in an amendment to the Speech, expressing regret that the UK Government had not included a bill in its forthcoming legislative programme to “protect the National Health Service from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership”.

READ MORE: Two-thirds of Scots oppose NHS in Obama trade deal

TTIP, which is still being negotiated, aims to cut tariffs and regulatory barriers to trade between the US and EU, making it easier for companies on both sides of the Atlantic to access each other's markets.

But opponents of the deal argue that it would allow private American firms to bid for lucrative contracts in the health service, thus leading the way to full-scale privatisation.

The involvement of the Conservative rebels in the amendment was seen as yet another sign of the bad blood flowing through Tory ranks in the EU referendum debate.

It came as No 10 was accused directly of orchestrating “vicious”attacks on the Leave campaign and its leading figures.

While a vote on the amendment would be purely symbolic, a defeat would have been a humiliation for the Prime Minister, coming on the back of a number of u-turns, including the cuts to disability benefits. No government has suffered a defeat on a Queen's Speech since 1924.

Downing Street has been adamant that the NHS would be “completely protected” under TTIP and Mr Cameron has dismissed the NHS fears of his political opponents to the trade deal as “the reddest of red herrings”.

But, with the prospect of a humiliating parliamentary defeat next week in the Commons – the Government’s working majority is just 17 - No 10 shifted dramatically to remove the Government’s critics’ opportunity to embarrass Mr Cameron.

In what Whitehall strategists would regard as a canny move, a spokesman said: “As we’ve said all along, there is no threat to the NHS from TTIP. So if this amendment is selected, we’ll accept it.”

READ MORE: Herald View - Why we must avoid dangers in trade deal

However, Tory backbencher and Leave campaigner Steve Baker, who accused Downing St of being behind co-ordinated attacks on the Brexit campaign, accused the PM of a “humiliating climbdown” and said: “The Government has today admitted the EU is a threat to our NHS. The only way we can protect the NHS from TTIP is if we Vote Leave on 23 June.”

Earlier, Mr Baker, who co-chairs Conservatives for Britain, insisted the Remain camp was "lashing out" after being painted into a corner.

The Wycombe MP complained: "There have been too many instances where comment in the press from a campaigner has been followed by attacks on them personally. That must stop.

"We have been reduced to fear and uncertainty on the Remain side and attacks...lashing out at individuals."

Earlier this week, Tory grandee Lord Heseltine, the former deputy prime minister, launched a withering attack on leading Outer Boris Johnson for making "preposterous, obscene political remarks" during the campaign after the former London mayor said the EU and Adolf Hitler shared the ambition of creating a superstate albeit by different methods. Mr Johnson later condemned the misrepresentation and hysteria over his remarks.

Asked about Mr Baker pointing the finger at No 10 for orchestrating negative briefing, a Downing St spokesman declined to get involved in what he described as “political in-fighting…between members of a political party”.

READ MORE: Two-thirds of Scots oppose NHS in Obama trade deal

He stressed: “We have been very clear right from the off we are making a positive case for the UK to stay in the EU based on the fact we are stronger, safer and better off In.”