Political rivals are split on signing a pledge calling for the Prime Minister to protect health services from American private companies.

Candidates from Sutton and Cheam were invited to speak with campaign group People’s NHS on Thursday and Saturday, January 29, and 31, with National Health Action Party’s Dave Ash, Labour’s Emily Brothers and Green Party’s Maeve Tomlinson all signing the pledge within days.

Liberal Democrat MP Paul Burstow has yet to sign, along with the Conservative’s Paul Scully and UKIP’s Gus Dalgleish.

The petition seeks to protect the NHS from being part of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a potential agreement between the EU and America that seeks to remove regulatory barriers for big business.

Campaigners say it would make any future British Government open to being sued by American companies should its decisions impact profitability.

Defending his decision not to sign the pledge MP Paul Burstow said: “The organisation is a front for Dave Ash.

“It makes bogus claims about the Health and Social Care Act, which I do not support, including proposing a wholesale further reorganisation of the NHS.

“I do not oppose the pledge.

“I oppose the role of TTIP in anything which forces the NHS to become more privatised."

He added that this was  an issue of sovereignty and should be decided by parliament and not by Dave Ash.

Conservative candidate Mr Scully said his biggest concern was that some of the other parties were playing political games with the NHS to split the defence of local hospitals.

He said: “As far as TTIP is concerned, it has already been confirmed it is not part of negotiations at the moment and so it is a bit of a red herring.”

UKIP’s Mr Dalgleish said it was against party policy for its candidates to sign pledges, but that the issue would not exist if Britain left Europe.

He said: “We have said it is a travesty and I must pass it with my committee, but I would want to sign it. I am very committed to getting rid of TTIP.”

Labour’s Ms Brothers said she was proud to stand up for the NHS against TTIP and questioned the stance of her rivals.

Mr Ash said the objectives and aims of the People’s NHS are similar to those of the National Health Action Party, but not identical.

He said: “The People’s NHS is a completely separate organisation to the National Health Action Party. For Mr Burstow to suggest otherwise, is both misleading and wrong.”