FORMER Labour health minister Lord David Owen warned yesterday that the NHS would become “completely unrecognisable” if Britain voted to remain in the European Union.

Speaking at the launch of Vote Leave’s Save Our NHS campaign in London, the Social Democratic Party founder argued that leaving the EU would free Britain from the threat of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which could force governments to privatise the NHS and other public services.

Mr Owen also warned that EU legislation meant the NHS would be “ever more involved with EU competition, procurement law and marketisation” and called for decisions to be taken by British government and not by the European Commission.