Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Watford has called for MP Richard Harrington to support a private members bill to prevent further privatisation of the health service.

The National Health Service (Amended Duties and Powers) Bill 2014-15 goes to parliament on Friday, November 21.

However, Mr Harrington said the bill has "nothing to do with government policy, opposition policy or any other policy" and as such he will be in Watford as usual that day.

Matt Turmaine, Labour parliamentary candidate for Watford, said the bill seeks to keep the NHS out of the EU-US bilateral trade agreement - TTIP, which some fear will increase the pace of NHS privatisation and introduce the occurrence of Investor State Dispute Settlements (ISDS), enabling private companies to sue governments for potential loss of earnings.

He said: "Labour has warned about the consequences of this Conservative / Liberal Democrat government’s policies on the NHS for years. Now we are seeing the consequences of its disastrous re-organisation in 2012. The passing of this bill will send a clear signal to keep the NHS public, prevent further privatisation and exempt it from TTIP negotiations. If Richard Harrington is serious about his commitment to the NHS, he will vote for it.

"The biggest mistake this government has made has been the top-down re-organisation of the NHS they promised they would never do. This bill is the chance to atone for what has been inflicted on our beloved health service."

But Mr Harrington said: "I believe passionately in the NHS. I meet regularly with the chief executive of the hospital trust in Watford, the doctors of the Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group and last week I took Jeremy Hunt to meet the doctors here.

"I do not support that bill. It is a private members bill, which has nothing to do with government policy, opposition policy or any other policy.

"My main concern is the treatment of people in the Watford area."