FOR sale boards erected by estate agents may be a familiar sight but 'not for sale' boards are appearing around Cinderford.

The boards have been put up by the People's NHS campaign group which is calling on the government to ensure the National Health Service is exempted from a transatlantic trade agreement.

Supporters are calling on Forest MP Mark Harper to press the Prime Minister to exclude the NHS from the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the United States.

Opponents claim that TTIP – the largest bilateral trade deal ever – would give multinational corporations the power to sue governments if they tried to take privatised health services back into public ownership.

The EU has said a draft agreement with Canada – which would be a model for TTIP – contains an exemption for 'public utilities', including health services.

Zia Martin, a local spokesperson for the People's NHS, said: "The people of the Forest of Dean do not believe it is right for the NHS to be part of an EU trade deal.

"As a member of the Cabinet, Mark has a real opportunity to defend our NHS from an EU trade deal that means the irreversible sell off of the NHS.

"Forest of Dean households are taking part in this unprecedented nationwide movement to demand David Cameron uses his veto to get the NHS out of TTIP. 

"Mark Harper must listen and help get the NHS out of TTIP.

"The Conservative government does not have a mandate to allow the sell-off of the NHS to become permanent."