Voters turn against Labour's NHS cutbacks and closures

Local opposition to NHS reorganisations provided the catalyst for single-issue party candidates standing in last week’s local elections. GP Dr Jacqueline Gunsell was elected to Kirklees council on the Save Huddersfield Health Campaign ticket. She was one of three candidates standing in protest at plans to move services from their local hospital in Halifax.

She won with 2,176 votes, a majority of 700 over the second placed Liberal Democrats. ‘Health was the major issue in the election in this ward’. ‘The Liberal Democrats even tried to cash in by calling themselves Liberal Democrat Campaign Against Hospital Cuts.’

The Save Chase Farm Hospital Party won two seats on Conservative-controlled Enfield council. It fielded nine candidates who are opposed to proposals to close the hospital’s accident and emergency service as part of a wider reconfiguration. A total of 12,456 people voted for the party whose policy is opposition to the closure of A&E and to any changes to existing women and children’s services.

In a statement of intent the party’s founder, Scott Wilkinson, said: ‘We’re sad to say that we just don’t feel either major political party has done enough to fight the ludicrous closure proposals.

‘We didn’t want to take this fight into the political arena, but given the lack of real action from most councillors we don’t see any alternative.’

The Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern Group gained one new seat on Wyre Forest council and is now the second largest party after the Conservatives.

The council is now under no overall control.