Lewisham Hospitals GPs plan mass walk out in Support

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt faces an unprecedented backlash from GPs who have treatened to quit executive roles over his controversial decision to downgrade Lewisham A&E Department.
In what would be the first walkout of its kind, senior GPs could resign over Mr Hunts decision to disregard their views and turn Lewisham Hospital  well regarded casualty department into a tweeked urgent care centre.
Mr Hunts plans has left confusion among Doctors and managers as to which services will be left intact at Lewisham , and the treat of a judicial review over his decision.
Severn GPs on the executive board ofv the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which represents 170 family doctors in the area are now said to be .. considering their position...after claiming their overwhelming opposition to the proposals were ignored by the Minister.
Dr Helen Tattersfield chair-woman of Lewisham CCG , said; theres a view that if we on the CCG board cannot influence something as important as this how can we expect to influence anything? it is a definite option for people, including me, to stand down. Mr Hunt has clearly ignored our position and we have not been listerned to at any stage.
He Would not speak to us, but instead he was hearing from officials from NHS London and the Department of Health who are keen to produce this kind of result across the capital so were determined to make this work.
Any resignations would prove highly embarrassing and potentially problematic for Mr Hunt because CCG are set to take over responsibility for commissioning hospital services from Primary Care Trusts in April.
Whilst Lewisham Council is set to launch legal action, David Hamilton for People Before Profit is working on Legal action as are Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign.
At Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign meetings, Labour are still sitting on the fence and refusing to state that should they win the next General election in 2015 as expected they would reject the Kershaw proposals and save the Hospital, clearly this is not sustainable and Lewisham residents are not stupid, seeking to win votes out of the save the hospital campaign whilst refusing to support it, has seen massive support for People Before Profit, who are set to win loads of Council seats in 2014 at the local Elections, and with the resignation of Deptford MP Joan Ruddock, the Save the Hospital People Before Profit team could win the seat, sending the First People Before Profit MP to Westminster.

Monthly People Before Profit group meetings are seeing such large numbers attend, that they are finding it increasingly hard to find venues that can hold the numbers joining People Before Profit,

Keep up to date on this fast moving story, follow Ray on twitter@Raywoolford

Lewisham Hospital, March . Jane Martinson view on why the battle will go on.

Lewisham hospital: Hunt wins this battle but protesters will win the war

Save Lewisham hospital campaign has tapped into deep sense of injustice to fight for cherished local institution

• in

Nurses who took part in the London Olympic opening ceremony wear their costumes as they join a protest to stop closures at Lewisham hospital. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

In many ways, the several hours I spent walking with 25,000 others on Saturday felt like a protest from another age. This was no flash mob or Twitter storm, simply a group of disparate people of all ages, sizes and even political persuasions walking along the streets waving banners.
Children labelled "I'm a Lewisham baby" joined parents, GPs, hospital doctors, and even Archbishop Desmond Tutu to protest against the plans to close Lewisham's maternity and accident and emergency departments. Cars passing by – even one van from a private healthcare group – sounded their horns in support. When we stopped at a local bakery to keep the five-year-old going, the cafe owner gave us free tea.
Yes, there was an online petition (signed by 34,265) and more than 5,000 "likes" on Facebook as well as a @SAVELewishamNHS Twitter feed, but the weekend march harked back to the 1980s and the poll tax protests more than anything else. Yes, it was local – people marching because of support for a local institution where 4,000 babies are born each year and 120,000 emergencies dealt with – but protesters were also acting from a real sense of unfairness.
At the heart of this dispute lay the sense that Lewisham hospital's future was being jeopardised (few NHS hospitals can survive without a functioning A&E) because of the financial failures of a neighbouring trust rather than its own mistakes. What's more, some of London's poorest residents were being made to pay for the injustice.
Many wanted to save what they think of as the heart of the NHS – a service not a business for all. As Louise Irvine, of www.savelewishamhospital.com, said: "Lewisham is a test case and therefore something that people throughout the country need to be aware of." No one feels that this is going to be the last protest about cuts.
Save Lewisham Hospital, a campaign group largely staffed by volunteers, is right to point out that Jeremy Hunt's announcement does not mean the hospital is "saved". Too many questions remain.
If Lewisham is to stop treating the most "serious" emergencies, how and when will this be defined? If those helping the afflicted fear they won't get the right help at Lewisham, won't they try to go further down the road to the Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich or St Thomas'? (Mr Hunt has obviously never made the trip from Greenwich to Waterloo in the rush hour if he thinks this journey takes an extra minute or two).
The closure of the maternity unit for a "midwife-led" one without specialist equipment or consultants is also a blow. With more than a third of labouring mothers transferred to hospital for complications, that journey to a neighbouring hospital will be even more unbearable.
Not to mention the fact that most local parents know at least one woman sent away from jam-packed local wards.
Yet what seems to have been saved is a sense that protest is no longer pointless or even purely personal. "What's the point of going?" wailed my 11-year-old son as we dragged him away from a computer screen on Saturday. By the end, he and his young friends were chanting slogans and waving placards. It may be a partial victory, but it felt like a win to me.

Keep up to date on Hospital campaign as it happens. follow Ray on twitter@Raywoolford

• More on this story

• 
  
  Lewisham hospital wins partial victory over A&E plans
  Jeremy Hunt announces south-east London hospital will retain most of its A&E service but maternity unit will be downgraded
  
• 
  Hospitals face new army of inspectors in wake of Mid Staffordshire scandal
  
• 
  Final report into Mid Staffs scandal likely to prove devastating for NHS
  
• 
  Peter Walsh: Jeremy Hunt must put patient safety before politics
  
• 
  Robert Francis QC: the man behind the NHS Mid Staffs report
  
• 
  Health spending could double by 2061
  
• 
  Thousands march in London against Lewisham hospital closures
  

Ed Milliband No Back Bone No Ideology No Vision Look at his record so far.

Does Ed Miliband intend - as he and a number of commentators have suggested - to call time on three decades of neoliberalism and establish a new long-term political consensus, as Thatcher and Attlee did before him? In the absence of any firm policy detail, the only way to answer that question is to examine the language Labour has used to critique government policy and set out its own position. Any political paradigm shift requires, in the first instance, for dominant narratives, common assumptions and conventional ways of understanding the issues to be subjected to fundamental challenge. Without first establishing that the old ways of thinking were misconceived, new approaches cannot be brought in to take their place. Yet the evidence so far does not suggest that Miliband's Labour is willing to take even this crucial first step.
Start with Labour's position on the Tory benefits cap. The headline response to the "strivers versus shirkers" theme was that a real terms cut in social security would effectively be a "Strivers Tax" because it hits claimants who are in work. The basic dichotomy - working "strivers" and unemployed "shirkers" - was thereby effectively endorsed. For anyone hoping for the imminent demise of Thatcherism, the sight of a Labour Party unwilling to challenge the neo-Victorian lie that unemployment is caused by wanton idleness, even five years into an economic depression, will have been somewhat less than encouraging.
What of Labour's jobs guarantee for the long-term unemployed? A great idea in principle, except the guarantee does not extend to those jobs being secure, permanent or paid at or above the Living Wage. Miliband's broad diagnosis that, rather than government redistributing to compensate for the iniquities of the market system, the rules of the game themselves should be changed so that wealth is "predistributed" more equally through good and decently paid jobs, is both timely and correct. But fine words are of little practical value when one of Labour's first new jobs policies drives a coach and horses through those basic principles.
Miliband's recent speech on immigration was, superficially, a little more encouraging, reflecting a sense of ease and contentment with the cosmopolitan nation that Britain has become. But substantively, the way he framed the issue simply reflected the real 'political correctness' of the day: Britain has had its problems with racism and xenophobia in the past, but thanks to our heroic national character these have now been overcome, leaving only legitimate concerns about immigration, caused in part by the failure of immigrants themselves to properly integrate with local communities. There was not so much as a suggestion that ignorance and prejudice may play some part in fuelling the hostility faced by this generation of immigrants, as was the case with the last. There was no mention of the relentless xenophobia of the gutter press, no mention of the current threat posed by the "English Defence League", and no mention of continued harassment of black youths by the police, to take some examples. What place will today's victims of bigotry have in the "One Nation" envisaged by a Labour leader so anxious to placate anti-immigrant opinion?
Perhaps the lowest point of Miliband's leadership was his opening of a June 2011 speech with the story of how he had met a man on incapacity benefit who he was "convinced" could find a job, and who was "just not taking responsibility" while "other families on his street are working all hours just to get by." This assessment was offered without evidence, knowledge or medical expertise, mirroring the many prejudicial judgements made against disabled people, especially those with "invisible disabilities", both by their more ill-informed neighbours and by the right-wing press. Make no mistake. This cruel ignorance leads directly to real, physical and emotional suffering. That Miliband chose to pander to that prejudice rather than to defend the maligned and the vulnerable gives us some indication of the character of his leadership.
For the New Labour generation of politicians, intellectual conformity and acceptance of Thatcherite conventional wisdom was seen as the ultimate test of seriousness. But if Miliband really wants to be a transformational leader (of which I am sceptical), then these are precisely the wrong instincts to have. Put simply, if he doesn't have the nerve to pick tough rhetorical fights now, then he has no chance of winning the hard policy battles later on. If anything, the more he accepts the terms of debate as he finds them, the more entrenched the status quo will become.
Is it any Wonder that across the UK, Labour is losing voters on mass. Scotland a former Labour stronghold has seen its voters on mass move to SNP, in Brighten the Greens have replaced Labour, whilst Labour are still reeling from the loss of the safe Labour seat of Bradford to Respect, across the UK, Labour is also under political knock out  from other more local Groups such as no to HS2, Save our NHS,  and in Lewisham the massive rise of People before Profit a sound political movement with a clear economic policy and real vision,following on from the political breakthrough in Ireland when at the first go, People before Profit secured 2 MP seats and a dozen Councillors. Lewisham has 3 Labour seats , a Labour council and a Labour Mayor, all deeply unpopular due to the Last Labour Goverments role in the PFI contract that has seen the Local Hospital face closure, whilst i am Sure they will win loads of Council seats, they are extremly active at grass roots level and have been able to bring all the opposition groups together, the fact that long term Labour MP Joan ruddock has resigned to take up a seat in House of Lords instead of Deptford, could see a real shock and the First People Before Profit MP elected for this seat in 2015.
Keep up to date with comment and events before they are published.follow Ray on twitter @Raywoolford

Lewisham Hospital Closure will Happen.. Read Hunts Speech. Our Plan for fightback

I am arranging for the attached poster to be sent to schools in the borough for display at school gates this afternoon.

I am trying to arrange for a powerful pa to be at Lewisham Hospital this afternoon mounted on the minibus we have been using.

If you have email addresses for schools please send it on to them as I am relying on a few headtechers passing it on to others and it doesn't matter if they get it more than once.

John

Hunt's speech:

11.42am GMT <http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2013/jan/31/lewisham-hospital-politics-live-blog#block-510a5899b579511a2998b637>

Hunt says his predecessor put the trust into special administration.

He says the adminstrator had a very difficult trust. He was only able to produce a solution by making recommendations affecting other hospitals.

Hunt says he accepts that analysis.

He lists six recommendations which he says he has accepted in full.

On Lewisham, he says there was also a recommendation to reconfigure A&A services in the area.

The public campaign surrounding services at Lewisham has shown just how much it is valued.

He says he respects the feelings of local people.

But solving the financial crisis at South London Healthcare trust is also important to these people.

He says he has had many conversations. He has asked the NHS medical director to review the recommendations relating to Lewisham.

On clinical input, a clinical advisory group supported the views of the administrator, he says.

On the issue of better care, the recommendations will apply for the first time new 2012 standards. These will set higher standards.

But these cannot be introduced without closing A&E departments, he says.

The whole population of south east London will continue to be within 30 minutes of a blue light journey time. The average journey will only be about a minute longer, he says.

11.46am GMT <http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2013/jan/31/lewisham-hospital-politics-live-blog#block-510a59a695cbe8c3a34714d7>

Hunt is still speaking.

He says the NHs medical director supports the downgrading of Lewisham.

Turning to the emergency care proposals, he says the NHS medical director recommends Lewisham retaining a smaller emergency department.

Up to three quarters of those curently attending Lewisham A&E could attend the new service at the hospital, he says.

Patients with more serious conditions could be taken to other hospitals.

This will require careful planning.

The NHS medical director believes that, with these caveats, care could improve.

The new system could save up to 100 lives a year, he says.

Hunt says that on this basis he accepts the Lewisham closure proposals.

But they would have to be subject to approval by Monitor.

The process will proceed to implementation.

The South London Healthcare trust will be dissolved by October 2013

Keep up to date on this fast moving story, follow Ray on twitter@Raywoolford

NHS The Campaign to save our NHS this is your guide to actions across the UK.

Action to defend the NHS is urgent. At least 10 hospitals in London have casualty and maternity departments threatened with closure. Now they want to sell off half of the Whittington hospital, and even more NHS privatisation is planned.  

25,000 people marched in Lewisham alone. It is time for us to take to the streets everywhere until we force the government to back down. Support these actions:

• Action today as Jeremy Hunt makes an announcement about Lewisham Hospital
• Week of Action to Defend London's NHS 09-16 February

25,000 march to save Lewisham Hospital

If you couldn’t make the march then watch the video

http://reelnews.co.uk/save-lewisham-hospital-march/

Flash protests today! Thursday 31 January

As Jeremy Hunt announces the fate of South London Hospitals

Greenwich KONP will be outside parliament 11am

Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign Flash Protest:

Lewisham Hospital main entrance 6pm

(or on Tuesday 05 Feb if announcement delayed until then)

DEFEND LONDON’S NHS

WEEK OF ACTION 09-16 FEBRUARY

Join the action –from Demonstrations to Singing Flash Mobs!

Please use Logo attached and let us know any events you are organising

Defend London’s NHS Press conference 

Monday 11 February

Westminster

All London campaigns to be present.

Congratulations to Haringey and Hammersmith who have already had large public meetings this week. 

Camden Keep Our NHS Public 

Public Meeting

Monday 04 February 6.30pm

Camden Town Hall, Judd St, WC1

Speakers include Frank Dobson and Whittington Hospital Campaign

Kingston Save Our Hospitals

Public Meeting

Monday 04 February 7pm

Kingston University

Penrhyn Road KT1 2EE

Save our Hospitals in SW London petition

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-our-hospitals-in-south-west-london/sign.html

Kingston Save Our Hospitals

Demonstration

Saturday 16 February 12 noon

Norbiton Station march to Guildhall

http://www.facebook.com/events/478817202164014/?fref=ts

Defend Whittington Hospital

Public Meeting

Tuesday 12 February 7.30pm

Archway Methodist Hall, Archway close (on Archway roundabout)

Speakers include Jeremy Corbyn, David Lammy and Frank Dobson

Latest on threat to the hospital http://dwhc.org.uk/

Sign the petition http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-the-sell-off-and-cuts-at-the-whittington-hospital/sign.html

Defend Whittington Hospital

Action

Saturday 16 February          

Ealing Hospital

Candle lit vigil

Saturday 09 February 5-6.30pm

Ealing Hospital

Ealing Hospital

Action

Saturday 16 February 12 noon

Ealing Broadway shopping centre

Hammersmith Hospital Campaign

Protest March

Saturday 16 February 12 noon

Lyric Square King Street

Lewisham Hospital campaign

Action

Friday 15 February

Lewisham Hospital

Singing Flash Mob

Organised by KONP and Velvet Fist

Friday 15 February 5.45pm

Kings X Station (New Departures foyer)

Rehearsal for those who can make it:  Wed 13 Feb 7-8pm

Cock Tavern, Chalton Street/Phoenix Road NW1 (Euston Station tube)

How they did it in Madrid:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS709ZyZ_YU

Coordinated action is taking off elsewhere too

MANCHESTER

Greater Manchester Health Emergency conference Saturday 16 February organised by Greater Manchester Association of Trade Union Councils and Manchester Keep Our NHS Public to coordinate and support campaigns against closure of 5 A&Es across the city.

http://www.facebook.com/events/490336557675202/

HULL AND EAST YORKSHIRE

Save our NHS Hull and E Yorkshire are calling for an NHS Day of Action across the region on Wednesday 27 March

http://saveournhshull.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/building-for-an-nhs-day-of-action-wednesday-27th-march-across-hull-and-east-yorks/

SPAIN

Strikes and occupations against privatisation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8OQ5QiG5_E

TIME FOR NATIONAL ACTION

Model motion for national action to defend our NHS

Next Save London’s NHS /

Keep Our NHS Public Meeting

Monday 25 February 6.30pm

Camden Town Hall, Jud

Housing Benefit cuts How hard will you be hit?

Millions of low-income households face a steep rise in their council tax bills of up to £600 a year from April, with single parents hit the hardest by what critics have dubbed "a second poll tax".
Some 74% of local authorities in England are planning to increase their demands on families whose council tax is currently discounted or even covered in full by the Government.
From April, however, the system of council tax benefit will be scrapped and authorities asked to introduce their own council tax support scheme, but with a 10% cut in funding.


Benefit cuts could hit the poorest households The Independent reported that a single parent, working full time on minimum wage could see their bills hiked from £220 to £797, and the unemployed, currently exempt from council tax, could end up paying £225.
The study by the Resolution Foundation independent research group found that some councils were planning to charge affected households an extra 20% of the full council tax bill. Some households faced increases in bills of more than £600 a year.
Researchers warned that a variation in rates of council tax support could undermine the Government's new universal credit, which is meant to simplify the welfare system and ensure it always makes financial sense to take a job.
The report's author, Matthew Pennycook, said: "The axeing of council tax benefit has major implications for universal credit, which is supposed to be all about simplifying welfare and giving people a stronger incentive to work.
"These changes undermine both goals. There will now be a highly-complex and confusing patchwork of local support while the low-paid will keep even less of an extra pound in earnings than the Government has claimed."
Gavin Kelly, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: "Millions of England's poorest households - both in and out of work - are already very close to the edge given falling wages, tax credits and benefits.
"Very few of those currently exempt from paying the full rate of council tax are expecting a large new bill to drop onto their doormat this spring. When it does, they are going to find it hard to cope.
"The new system will result in hard-pressed councils spending scarce resources chasing some of the poorest people in the country for non-payment."
Local government minister Brandon Lewis said: "Spending on council tax benefit doubled under the last administration and welfare reform is vital to tackle the budget deficit we have inherited.
"Under the last administration, more taxpayers' money was being spent on benefits than on defence, education and health combined.
"Our reforms will localise council tax support and give councils stronger incentives to support local firms, cut fraud, promote local enterprise and get people into work. We are ending the 'something for nothing' culture and making work pay.
"Under the last government, council tax bills doubled. The coalition Government has worked with councils to freeze council tax for two years, with a further freeze offered for this year. We are cutting council tax in real terms for hard-working families and pensioners, and we are on the side of people who work hard and want to get on."

Deptford Waterside 2 bed flat £250 per week

Housemartins have just taken on a retro 2 double bedroom flat on the foreshore Deptford at £250 per week, the stylish flat has great views and good size rooms.
info@housemartins.net 0207 231 5656 www.housemartins.net

Greenwich.Lambeth.Southwark People Before Profit

As we move forward ever closer to the 2014 Local Council elections, this is the most important elections for people opposed to privatisation of public services and cuts.
People Before Profit are set and in place in every ward in Lewisham to fight to win the Council seats as well as with the resignation of Deptford MP Joan Ruddock, the Deptford Parlimentary seat.
It is therefore crucial that people that care come forward NOW to stand as People Before Profit Council Candidates across the UK.
 small groups are forming everywhere in the UK as well as across the world.
 We have made our First breakthrough in Ireland with Councillors and MPs being elected.

We are the 99% we have got to fight back, we have got to stand together and we must put People before the establishment agenda of what many see as Class war, whilst other the total distraction of the nhs AND the WELFARE STATE THAT PEOPLE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR.

Bargain Chelsea Kings Road /Fulham Flat to let

Housemartins the best estate agent on the planet have a large 1 bedroom apartment to let on Gunter Grove Chelsea..this links Kings Road with Fulham road in Chelsea so at £350 per week for a period apartment in such a great location seems great value.
Email to view info@housemartins.net or call 0207 231 5656 to view.

Convoy wharf. New Plans published 28 January 2013

The latest planning proposals were made public last night at a meeting called by Lewisham Council between the developers and the residents of Evelyn ward.
Convoy Wharf is of far greater interest to all the residents of Deptford not just this ward, and the lack of promotion of this event and awareness was truly shocking, Pepys Community forum  were present, as was Positive youth, but no other group was represented and People Before Profit were only present due to a call tipping us of about the meeting.
After the huge campaign by residents,  which lead to the original plans being scrapped, it seems the Labour Party is seeking as it has been doing with the hospital campaign  to high jack the issues to stop the huge numbers of people switching on mass from Labour to People Before Profit.
 At last nights meeting the local Labour councillor was a bit put out, when people she wished to have pictures taken with her stated they were People before Profit supporters.
The Plans;
Far greater thought has been made into the overall impact on the area, whilst original plans were for several tower blocks, some at 48 storeys high, the fresh plans only have one tower block at 46 storeys, with other blocks with stage floors to maximise the river views.
They have not ruled out the Deptford Is.... plans to rebuilt the LENNOX, they have changed the focus with the Olympia building being the key focus of the site, they see this as a key community space, whilst a small primary school is part of this plan and loads of shops and bars with more focus again on linking the river frontage to the wider area, reflecting across the site as much as possible the areas marine and garden history  ( John Evelyn and Sayers Court Manor would be key to the areas development plan history whilst doing much more to open the pathway to Deptford Station to boost the high street).
The Site would also see roads on a parr with road layouts in Rotherhithe facing the river with 2 major access points from Grove street and King stairs., The Local Gardens Twinkle and Pepys would in these plans become part of the development, clearly another area of concern.

Issues.
 We raised and response;
Dragoon Road was Originaly agreed as access point for the construction lorries as well as the river, the new plan would see the commercial traffic pass Deptford School, this could lead to massive congestion and health Concerns for local Children, They say they will take another look at this.
The Tower Block at 46 storey , in our view is still much to high.
Affordable Housing, The developer states they plan to offer 15% affordable, whilst our figures on close inspection show only 8%. Lewisham Council  policy for all affordable developments of this size , is 35%
The Reality; We have a new Rent cap coming in in April, also Council have been told that all new Tenants must pay 80% of Market rents, When you consider a 1 bedroom apartment on this development will cost £1300 per month plus bills, and the Cap restricting how much a family can get in help via Housing Benefit, clearly Lewisham/Deptford residents will not be in a position to buy or rent with average borough wide wages of just £24.500 per year.
People Before Profit have there fore been pushing forward the Following;
Jobs, we should be building these flats wil local residents many of which have the skills, as well as traing the huge numbers of young people we have as plumber, Builders, Managers, Electricians etc so that they will have long term jobs and real career opertunities at the end, Lewisham seems to be on side with this, and the Labour Councillor supported our view that we must train people in advance, my proposal to use Olympia building as training site whilst site is built has not been ruled out.
Business Plans; Clearly we no not need more Tesco Metro, we proposed again that the area is used to create a new Hub business centre, be it the UK centre for Green Energy Business, Social enterprise or just the centre for UK art, looking long term and building on the mass creativity that exits in Lewisham we should be using this as a way to offer a radicle different business centre whilst turning our area into a better greener space to call home.
Green Energy; In response to our constant demands that this site should lead with Design and Green energy, we were told plans are in place to link with the SELCHIP site at New Cross to use the waste for power on site. Again we stated that we should be using the site to develop low cost energy for all SE8 residents, tackerling fuel poverty would help to address the terrible impact this site will have during the 13 years plus it will take to build the site.
With only 2 Hour Meeting clearly we could not address every concern, People Before Profit will continue top push forward to support not just our proposals, but also Deptford is, and the building of the Lennox.
I hope this has given you a bit more insight into what is Going on.

Keep up to date on this fast moving story; follow Ray on twitter@Raywoolford

Lewisham Hospital Demo photo selection/Labour Party role in this mess.

What a truly wonderful day, the site of 25,000 local Lewisham residents marching together as one to save our local Hospital.
I personally gave out 2000 Song sheets which had been produced on the back of the people Before Profit flyers giving people easy to follow background to PFI.
Whilst Labour is seeking to gain votes out of the Hospital Campaign,Every residents must ask Labour the Following questions as this mess is a direct result of PFI policy opposed by Labour in opposition, but rushed through once they won the election.

Why will Labour not apologise for the PFI contracts which have lead to this crises with many more to follow.

Why have none of the 3 Labour MPs supported the all party early day motion at Westminster for PFI deals to be ended.

Why will the Local Labour party not put forward a party motion in support of the Hospital, something they have done for our Fire Station.

Why will the Labour Party not state publicly that if they win the General Election in 2015 as expected and if they were in Goverment TODAY, that they would reject these closure plans?

The Labour Party is using the Save our Hospital Campaign to mislead the voters into thinking a Labour Goverment would save the Hospital, when there actions make it clear, that Labour would close the Hospital and would carry on with the PFI contracts which are set to see more Hospital and Schools go bust.
In Lewisham People Before Profit are the only alternative to Cuts and Closure , to Vote People Before Profit will not lead to a Tory Council, it would lead to a Nationwide Movement of People feeling strong and able to think about why and how they vote. Voting Labour in Lewisham  is Like voting Conservative light.., the Difference is that Torys are closing the NHS for ideology reasons, Labour because it lacks vision, ideas and an economic policy based around real people not Career politicians.
Make sure every one is aware that Labour Party is refusing to back the Hospital by not agreeing to state it would in Goverment scrap these proposals.This is the worst sort of politics.
Follow Ray on Twitter@Raywoolford

Lewisham Hospital John Hamiltons Comments from People before Profit.

What a fantastic job we all did with the leafletting of stations and 
streets!  Combined with other publicity, posters and banners we 
succeeded in mobilising between 20,000 and 25,000 people yesterday.

I'd just like to say a very big THANK YOU to each of you for the hours 
of slogging the streets and stations and I'm sure I speak for Simone, 
too, who could barely keep up with the list of streets that people were 
reporting back that they had covered.

I was responsible for stations, and after an initial allocation of 
stations to regular People Before Profit campaigners to ensure that they 
were done at least one morning and one evening, I was  inundated with 
offers from people to do follow up leafletting at stations near them.

I don't know about you, but I find it inspiring to talk to people, 
listen to their stories and views (not always positive) and explain why 
we think it's worth fighting for this campaign.

Yesterday's march showed that the people of Lewisham and surrounding 
boroughs really do care about this hospital and the threat to the whole 
NHS.

Whether Hunt decides to close the A&E and Maternity or to spare them, we 
will still need to counter the underlying cause of the bankruptcy of the 
NHS trust in Greenwich and Bromley - PFI payments to Barclays, Innisfree 
and Taylor-Woodrow (United Health Consortium).

We have been paralysed within the campaign meetings by the reluctance of 
the Labour Party to allow discussion of this aspect - Joan Ruddock 
didn't mention it on Radio 4 yesterday, Heidi Alexander didn't mention.  
None of the Lewisham MPs has signed the early day motion on PFI and 
Lewisham ( http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2012-13/306// ) presumably 
because they don't want to put the blame for the mess fairly and 
squarely where it belongs - on Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Fortunately Lewisham People Before Profit has no such inhibitions and we 
will be discussing how to campaign on this at our regular monthly 
meeting next Monday, 4th February at 7.15 at The Broca Cafe.  All welcome.

We have already performed a short sketch about the PFI scam inside 
Barclays Bank branches in Deptford and Lewisham and set up a petition on 
the Downing Street website at epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/42460
There is lots of interesting information about PFI at 
www.SaveLondonNHS.org.uk

Don't forget to meet outside Lewisham Hospital at 6pm on the evening 
Hunt makes his announcement.  The BBC is still saying that this will be 
on Friday this week, but it could be another day.

Yours,