Campaigners gathered outside Robert Buckland’s office to voice their concerns after MPs voted against a move they say would protect the NHS in post-Brexit trade deals.

Steve Rouse and Zoe McCormick delivered their Christmas card to the South Swindon MP’s office in Wood Street.

The card reads: “All we want for Christmas is for you to protect our NHS from trade deals by voting for the scrutiny and NHS protection amendments in the Trade Bill.”

Mr Buckland rejected Labour’s amendment to the Trade Bill, which would have provided explicit legal protection for the NHS in post-Brexit negotiations.

But the amendment was defeated by 340 votes to 251 as Tory ministers insisted it wasn’t needed.

Steve told the Adver: “We have delivered Christmas cards to our MP asking them not to allow the NHS to be on the table in the US trade negotiations.

“Our NHS is absolutely precious. And we must at all cost preserve our control over our own health care services.

“That’s why I’ve come to Robert Buckland’s office. I wanted to send a message loud and clear that the public wants our NHS protected from trade deals.”

The action comes amidst fears that future trade deals could see private healthcare companies based in the USA or other countries being granted more opportunities to run NHS services.

But PM Boris Johnson has already promised the NHS will not be for sale in trade talks with other countries.

He said last year: “In any future trade negotiations with our country, our national health service will never be on the table.”

But campaigners want it written into the law.

The actions across the country are coordinated by public ownership campaign group We Own It.

Speaking on the actions across the country, We Own It campaigner Johnbosco Nwogbo said: “The time for warm words and reassurances is over. Boris Johnson has consistently told us that he will take the NHS ‘off the table’ in trade deals. Now it’s time for MPs and Lords to write that into law.

“The public are crystal clear - we don’t want our NHS to be picked apart by vultures in the US private healthcare industry.

“We want it run in public hands for the benefit of people.”

When asked about his view, Mr Buckland said: “This story is old news from before the last election. It wasn’t true then and it isn’t true now.

“We have said this repeatedly since before the election when we received a resounding majority.”