LABOUR’S shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth accused the Tories today of trying to “play the public for fools” by denying that they have plans to offer the NHS to US companies.

He said that Health Minister Matthew Hancock was “misleading” people by contradicting evidence that showed that the NHS is “on the table” in British-US trade deal meetings.

Mr Hancock on the BBC’s Today programme rejected assertions that a leaked dossier of meeting notes proves the Tories would make the health service open for US business.

On Wednesday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn revealed 451 uncensored pages from British-US trade talks over the last few years.

Mr Ashworth said that the files show US officials wanting “full access to public services, including the NHS, and for inclusion of drugs pricing.”

He added: “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 £500 million a week drained from our NHS to big drugs companies.”

Campaign group Global Justice Now analysed the leaked dossier and concluded that they show the “implications for post-Brexit Britain go well beyond the NHS.”