Keep Our NHS Public was pleased to hear the House of Lords voted to protect the NHS in future trade deals this week. This was the result of months of campaigning from our local groups, alongside activists from We Own It and Global Justice Now.
Lords from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and crossbenchers voted 308-261 for an amendment that allows Parliament to scrutinise a future trade deal, as well as voting 232-143 for an amendment protecting NHS and healthcare data.
Jan Savage a member of Keep Our NHS Public’s subcommittee on free trade agreements said: “It was clear from the debate on the Trade Bill that Lords were impressively well-informed, partly because of the efforts of organisations like Trade Justice Movement, Global Justice Now, We Own It and, not least, Keep Our NHS Public members.”
However, she also warned: “The Trade Bill will return to the Commons shortly, where – infuriatingly - it is likely that the amendments will be thrown out. However, it’s clear that there is now significant support for Parliament to have a more decisive role in approving trade deals and protecting the NHS.”
You can find out more about the work we have done to protect the NHS from trade deals on our campaign landing page.
If the commons overturn it, doesn’t it have to go back to the lords, who can again overturn it, and then it will have to wait for another year before it can become law, or so I thought. Is that right?