The Conservatives are trying to mislead the public over their NHS sell-off plans after Labour revealed secret documents the government had tried to cover up.

Health Secretary Matthew Hancock’s claim on the Today Programme that the NHS is not “on the table“ is contradicted by clear evidence in the 451 unredacted pages detailing trade talks between the UK and the US.

The files show US negotiators demanding full access to public services, including the NHS, and for inclusion of drugs pricing that could lead to UK patients and our NHS paying even more for medicines than we already do.

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour Shadow Secretary for Health and Social Care, said:

“The Tories are trying to play the public for fools on their secret plans to sell off the NHS, in a deal that could see £500m a week drained from our NHS to big drugs companies.

“In these secret trade deal papers that Labour revealed yesterday, the NHS is very much on the table.

“And it’s crystal clear that the US is pushing for longer drug patents – which means massive drug price increases for our NHS. And on that basis, these papers show the UK is ready to move on to the next stage of a deal that will mean taxpayers will pay the price of soaring medical bills.”