TORY MPs defied orders from government whips yesterday to withdraw support for a motion that would exclude the NHS from the TTIP trade deal.

The Prime Minister was forced to accept the cross-party amendment to the Queen’s Speech as a rebellion by around 25 Tory backbenchers threatened to bring down the government’s entire programme.

“As we’ve said all along, there is no threat to the NHS from TTIP. So if this amendment is selected, we’ll accept it,” a Number 10 spokesman announced on Thursday.

It was the first time since 1924 that a government has accepted a motion of regret to a Queen’s Speech and Labour MP Paula Sherriff, who tabled the motion, called it a “humiliating climbdown.”

The government attempted to save face yesterday by demanding that Tory MPs who signed the motion, such as Iain Duncan Smith, Liam Fox and Peter Lilley, remove their names.

But sources told the Star that their arm twists had only increased support for the Labour amendment among Tory MPs.

They included Graham Brady, who, as chair of the 1922 Committee, is the most senior backbench Tory MP.

And Mr Lilley, a former trade secretary, said: “I am puzzled by the government’s request to remove signatures from the motion given that it has government support.”

There will not be a vote on the amendment if the government has accepted it, but the issue could still be discussed during Wednesday’s debate on the Queen’s Speech.

Ms Sherriff said she will call for the government to veto any trade deal that includes the “Investor-State Dispute System” and does not exempt all public services from forced privatisation.

“Having been an NHS worker and experienced my service being handed over to a private provider, I saw first hand the damage that was done when profits were put before patients by the likes of Virgin Care,” she said.

“We cannot let those same corporations get a permanent grip on our services, with a secret courts system designed to defend their interests rather than the public interest.”

The Star understands MPs are prepared to continue working across parties to win further exemptions from the EU-US trade deal.

War on Want director John Hilary warned: “The dangers of TTIP go far beyond the health service — only by stopping this grizzly deal altogether will we escape the threats it poses to democracy, society and the environment.”