Richard Leonard has warned the NHS could be sold off to American corporate interests if Boris Johnson wins the General Election.
The Scottish Labour leader said voters have a clear choice between the Tories and a party that would invest in public services in Labour.
It has previously been suggested parts of the NHS could be sold off to private companies as part of a potential UK-US trade deal after Brexit.
On a visit to Monklands Hospital in Airdrie, Mr Leonard said: “My reading of Boris Johnson’s approach is that while he wants to wrench the UK out of Europe, he wants to make us almost the 51st state of the United States of America.
“He sets all his store by trade agreements with Donald Trump.
“Now, Trump’s position is America first and there’s no doubt that any agreement, if ever that was to be reached with the US in a bilateral trade deal, would see the opening up of parts of our public realm in this country to private interests based in America.”
Mr Leonard said Labour created the NHS and stands for public ownership.
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