CAMPAIGNERS against a controversial trade agreement brought a ‘tree of hope’ to Cinderford as Forest MP Mark Harper gave his backing to the deal.

The People’s NHS campaign group is concerned that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and US could give multinational companies the power to sue the government if it tried to scale back private involvement in the NHS.

The concerns echo those contained in a letter sent by the non-party political Forest Health Forum to Mr Harper in July.

The letter, signed by chairman Albert Weager and secretary Linda Vaughan, stated: “Time is running out so, as our MP and minister in the Cabinet, we urge you to use your influence to call on the Prime Minister, David Cameron, to use his veto to secure an explicit carve-out for the NHS from TTIP.

“The people of the Forest of Dean do not believe it is right for the NHS to be part of a US trade deal which hands new rights over our NHS to US corporations and their lawyers.”

In reply, Mr Harper said the deal would not prevent the government acting in the public interest in areas such as the NHS.

He said: “TTIP is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create the largest bilateral trade agreement in the world and would bring significant economic benefits in terms of jobs and growth.

“To be clear, it will continue to be for EU member states to make decisions about whether and to what extent they involve the private sector in the provision of public services, as confirmed by the EU’s chief negotiator on TTIP.

“Any investment decisions included in TTIP will strike the appropriate balance between protection for UK investors abroad and ensuring the government is not prevented from acting in the public interest in areas such as public health and the NHS.”

Supporters of the People’s NHS brought its ’tree of hope’ with messages from local people against the trade deal to the centre of Cinderford last week.

Spokeswoman Zia Martin said: “Mark Harper is ignoring the genuine concerns of thousands of his constituents who oppose the irreversible privatisation of our NHS.

“Mr Harper owes it to his constituents to act on their behalf and call on Cameron to get our NHS out of this dangerous EU trade deal.”