A Croydon MP accused of voting to sell off the NHS because of his alleged links to private healthcare firms has rejected the claims.

Unite made the accusations in a dossier detailing 70 members of parliament which it said have private healthcare links and voted for the Health and Social Care Act.

This act opened up NHS contracts to the voluntary and private sectors, leading to criticism from many including the union that this was leading to the privatisation of the health service.

Croydon South MP Sir Richard Ottaway appears in the Unite document as he went on a trip to the USA from July 9 to 11, 2007, and the return flights and accommodation were funded by political think tank The Atlantic Bridge.

During his visit he met with members of the Republican administration and policy forums.

But he breached parliamentary rules by not declaring the trip on the register of members’ interests until four years later.

Back in 2011 he said: “I have no idea why this was not done in 2007 after the visit.

“It very much falls into the cock up category of human error.

“It was a low key, short visit four years ago when I was an opposition backbencher.

“Meetings were held with members of the Republican administration and some policy forums.

“I have very little precise recall of the visit.”

Atlantic Bridge, which was registered as a charity, was founded by the former shadow health secretary Liam Fox and companies involved in the organisation included pharmaceutical firm Pfizer.

The charity was closed down by its trustees in September 2011 after an investigation by the Charity Commission concluded it promoted a political stance that was closely aligned to the Conservative Party.

In a statement today Sir Richard said: “I have no links to health care interests.”