Protesters campaigned against the proposed introduction of a free trade agreement between the USA and the Europe Union outside the office of Chesham & Amersham MP Cheryl Gillan this week.

An ongoing petition against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) has to date received 581 signatures from Mrs Gillan’s constituents and has been supported by over half a million people in the UK.

The government claim the deal could see the UK’s economy grow by an extra £10bn a year but those opposed claim it will enable large multi-national corporations to bypass local laws and abuse cheap labour.

The petition, organised by campaigning organisation 38 Degrees, was handed over by Chesham resident Lee Heffernan who said: “It will allow companies to be above the law - I really hope that Cheryl Chillan will vote against the bill.”

Chalfont St.Peter resident Jennifer Thompson, who stood against Boris Johnson as an independent candidate in May, said: “We haven’t got an open government in this country – it’s scary. People should know about this.”

Mrs Gillan said: “Ministers have assured MPs that there is nothing in the proposed agreement that would weaken environmental regulation, lead to the privatisation of the NHS or allow private companies to overturn the laws made by democratically elected governments.”