Labour will back anti-privatisation bill that will exempt NHS from TTIP

Labour will support a Private Members’ Bill brought forward by backbencher Clive Efford later this month that would tackle privatisation of the NHS. The bill will face a Commons’ vote on November 21st, the day after the Rochester and Strood by-election. Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham says he has checked with Commons authorities, and has confirmed that the victorious candidate can be sworn in on the Friday morning and be eligible to vote – so expect a pledge from Labour’s Naushabah Khan that she will be there to be central to her campaign.

Burnham said:

“This is a unique situation because the bill is coming on to the table the day after the by-election. We’ve checked with the parliamentary authorities and we’ve been assured that the winning candidate could be sworn in during the morning and vote on the bill after that. Our candidate Naushabah would do that and will challenge those from the other parties to say they would do the same.”

According to the Guardian, the bill would ensure that the NHS is exempted from the TTIP scheme (we’ve previously covered how the NHS can be safeguarded here), repeal the ‘section 75’ rules that force compulsory tendering of all NHS contracts, remove the freedom that allows NHS hospitals to earn up to 49% of their income from treating private patients, and restore the secretary of state’s responsibility for the NHS.