NHS champion? You must be joking

Gordon Birtwistle was elected as MP for Burnley in 2010 solely on his promise to return A&E to Burnley General Hospital, something he has singularly failed to achieve. He has tried to pass off the refurbishment of the urgent care unit as a return of A&E. The road sign in Westgate says it all: “minor injury unit.”

Having discussed what Mr Birtwistle has failed to do, let us look at what he has actually done for the NHS. He voted for the health and social care bill which led to the top down reorganisation of the NHS at the staggering cost of £3 billion.

This bill has opened up our NHS to widespread privatisation and fragmentation.

He has also voted for unprecedented cuts in local government spending. This has caused huge cuts in social care resulting in thousands of elderly people being admitted to hospital unnecessarily and putting increased strain on the whole of the NHS.

Mr Birtwistle has also rather kindly raised funds for a new scanner for Burnley General Hospital. In other words, the good people of Burnley have all chipped in to buy their own equipment, which is surely the future for the NHS if we have to suffer another five years of Gordon Birtwistle and his Tory Government.

Andy Devanney

Worsthorne