Health campaigners stage protest in Plymouth

Health campaigners from Plymouth protested outside the constituency offices of local MP Johnny Mercer today, over his refusal to accept letters signed by hundreds of his constituents at his constituency office, calling on David Cameron to use his veto to protect the NHS from irreversible privatisation.

Campaigners from Plymouth were planning to hand in hundreds of letters from Plymouth residents this week. When a campaigner asked to take a photo of the petition being handed in, Johnny Mercer’s constituency staff refused, then delayed the meeting by three weeks, changed the venue and banned photography at the event.

Local resident Fi Walker said: “Hundreds of people are concerned about the irreversible NHS sell-off because of a trade deal with America called TTIP but Johnny Mercer’s team want to stifle our peaceful and democratic voice. We’re just asking him to write to David Cameron and demand that he uses his veto to protect the NHS from irreversible privatisation.”

“Private companies now run many front line services at Derriford Hospital, with Serco alone profiting from £42 million pounds of outsourced services. If the NHS is included in TTIP we would lose all power to reverse the privatisation of our NHS and take these services back in house.”

“We’ve had overwhelming support from local Plymouth residents for our campaign to remove our NHS from TTIP. It is time our local MPs used their influence to put the NHS ahead of the interests of US corporations. Johnny Mercer used his maiden speech in Parliament to make an impassioned vow to improve health care for veterans but TTIP is putting our health service at risk”.