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16Sep07

MATERNITY UNIT MUST BE DEFENDED

Conservative challenger Mark Versallion is stepping up his campaign to have Stretford & Urmston’s Labour MP fight the Government’s closure of Trafford General’s maternity and paediatric unit.

The Prospective Conservative MP, Mark Versallion, said “It is disappointing that only after hearing about my campaign do we hear anything from our Labour MP. But more disappointing still is that the response is not the grown up professional debate you would expect of a Government Minister but instead a personal attack based on someone's origins.

"If that’s how she wants society to be then a lot of people in Stretford & Urmston will take exception at that. Simply because they were not born in the community does not mean they are not now part of the community.” It begs the question what does she think about Manchester’s Irish, Chinese and other communities?

“The MP should argue and debate the real issue of losing the maternity unit, yet” he added “I am the only one vocal on this point, whilst the Labour MP and local Lib Dems are silent. Local communities who will be hit by this health service cut. It is no wonder people are turned off politics when Government Ministers conduct democratic debate in this way.”

Mr Versallion is calling for people to write to Bev Hughes, the Labour MP and Government Minister for Children, to ask for a moratorium on any hospital closures until a “sound basis for the closures” can be identified. “There is no financial or performance basis for this closure” Mr Versallion said. “Is it unreasonable that people now no longer believe the Government is doing the right things for the NHS when so much national taxes are spent on it yet the Government is closing maternity and A&E units.”