ACTIVISTS are attempting to drum up local support for their opposition to a deal between the US and EU that could bring about further privatisation of the National Health Service.

Townsfolk in Peebles will have the opportunity to sign a petition urging the government to scrap - or at least reform - the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) that is currently being debated.

Local members of 38 Degrees - a national campaigning group - are holding a day of action at Veitch’s Corner on Saturday. August 22.

Gordon Daly, who is also a member of Tweeddale Action Group, said: “We think this is an important issue that could affect everyone and we hope the action day will help everyone to understand what’s going on.

“Although we ourselves are against TTIP we aim to put both sides of the argument to the people that come along.

“Those without access to the internet or social media might not know much about what TTIP is and we hope this will help them to understand what it’s all about.” The TTIP is a proposed free trade agreement between the US and EU. Supporters of it claim it would result in multilateral economic growth while opponents believe it would increase corporate power and make it more difficult for governments to regulate markets for public benefit.

An agreement is not expected to be finalised before 2016.

Last November campaigners from the People’s NHS gathered more than 1,000 signatures on Peebles High Street for a petition to present to Tweeddale MP David Mundell calling on him to stand up to the NHS Later the same month more than 350 residents in Peebles made a collective stand against the threat of what they claim would be an irreversible sell off of health services to the US.

However, Mr Mundell claims that TTIP offers no threat and that there are more pressing issues surrounding the NHS.