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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Minister defends hospital protest | Minister defends hospital protest |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Cabinet minister Hazel Blears has defended her decision to take part in a protest over plans to close part of a hospital in her constituency. | Cabinet minister Hazel Blears has defended her decision to take part in a protest over plans to close part of a hospital in her constituency. |
| The proposals for Hope Hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, are part of the controversial NHS shake-up throughout the country. | The proposals for Hope Hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, are part of the controversial NHS shake-up throughout the country. |
| Ms Blears, Labour chairwoman, said: "My first and foremost job is to represent Salford and the people of the area." | Ms Blears, Labour chairwoman, said: "My first and foremost job is to represent Salford and the people of the area." |
| It is rare for a minister to directly oppose government policy. | It is rare for a minister to directly oppose government policy. |
| However, Ms Blears said her actions were "the bread and butter of every MP's political life," and would not cause embarrassment to the government. | However, Ms Blears said her actions were "the bread and butter of every MP's political life," and would not cause embarrassment to the government. |
| "This is a normal consultation, it has been going on now for two years and quite right and proper, I am a constituency member of Parliament and I have been putting forward the views of the people of Eccles and Salford.'' | "This is a normal consultation, it has been going on now for two years and quite right and proper, I am a constituency member of Parliament and I have been putting forward the views of the people of Eccles and Salford.'' |
| Mr Blears took part in the demonstration before Christmas outside the hospital over proposals to close and relocate its maternity unit. | Mr Blears took part in the demonstration before Christmas outside the hospital over proposals to close and relocate its maternity unit. |
| Health chiefs want to concentrate maternity services in the region in three centres providing high-quality intensive care for babies. | Health chiefs want to concentrate maternity services in the region in three centres providing high-quality intensive care for babies. |
| If the closure of maternity services is wrong in Salford, it is wrong in all those other parts of the country as well and Blears should be piling on pressure to ditch the cuts policy or she should resign Geoff MartinHealth Emergency | If the closure of maternity services is wrong in Salford, it is wrong in all those other parts of the country as well and Blears should be piling on pressure to ditch the cuts policy or she should resign Geoff MartinHealth Emergency |
| She also denied she was was panicking about whether or not she would be re-selected as an MP. | |
| ''I have been campaigning on health service matters in my constituency for as along as I have been the member of Parliament and before that when I was a local councillor." | |
| The final decision on moving the unit is not due for several months, but her spokesman confirmed that Ms Blears had privately lobbied Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt about the closure. | The final decision on moving the unit is not due for several months, but her spokesman confirmed that Ms Blears had privately lobbied Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt about the closure. |
| Ms Blears' spokesman told the BBC that she has had "informal contact" with the health secretary over the issue and plans to make formal representations. | Ms Blears' spokesman told the BBC that she has had "informal contact" with the health secretary over the issue and plans to make formal representations. |
| 'Hot issue' | 'Hot issue' |
| He added: "She intends to campaign against it - it is a very hot issue locally." | He added: "She intends to campaign against it - it is a very hot issue locally." |
| The government is determined to push ahead with a re-organisation of the NHS, which will see some closures. | The government is determined to push ahead with a re-organisation of the NHS, which will see some closures. |
| It aims to consolidate but improve the services on offer at other hospitals. | It aims to consolidate but improve the services on offer at other hospitals. |
| Ms Blears' support was considered acceptable by chairman of the health select committee, Labour MP Kevin Barron. | Ms Blears' support was considered acceptable by chairman of the health select committee, Labour MP Kevin Barron. |
| "If we're in the early stages of consultation about the changes in health services in your constituency, I think Hazel's got every right to have a say about what's going off. | "If we're in the early stages of consultation about the changes in health services in your constituency, I think Hazel's got every right to have a say about what's going off. |
| "I mean we would all expect that to happen," he said. | |
| "The problems come a few months down the road as it were - where clearly if a final decision has been taken, then I think we'd all be expected to accept the reconfiguration." | "The problems come a few months down the road as it were - where clearly if a final decision has been taken, then I think we'd all be expected to accept the reconfiguration." |
| Campaign group Health Emergency accused Ms Blears of being hypocritical by opposing local closures while supporting central government policy. | Campaign group Health Emergency accused Ms Blears of being hypocritical by opposing local closures while supporting central government policy. |
| Her efforts follow Home Secretary John Reid's presence at protests against hospital cuts in his Airdrie and Shotts constituency in April. | Her efforts follow Home Secretary John Reid's presence at protests against hospital cuts in his Airdrie and Shotts constituency in April. |
| Health Emergency's head of campaigns, Geoff Martin, said Cabinet ministers were only supporting local protests "in a bid to save their own political skins." | Health Emergency's head of campaigns, Geoff Martin, said Cabinet ministers were only supporting local protests "in a bid to save their own political skins." |
| "There are 29 hospitals up and down the country facing the immediate threat of cuts and closure to key services in 2007. | "There are 29 hospitals up and down the country facing the immediate threat of cuts and closure to key services in 2007. |
| In or out? | In or out? |
| "Will Hazel Blears be joining demonstrators on the streets in each of those areas or is this just a classic case of 'not in my back yard'? | "Will Hazel Blears be joining demonstrators on the streets in each of those areas or is this just a classic case of 'not in my back yard'? |
| "If the closure of maternity services is wrong in Salford, it is wrong in all those other parts of the country as well and Blears should be piling on pressure to ditch the cuts policy or she should resign." | "If the closure of maternity services is wrong in Salford, it is wrong in all those other parts of the country as well and Blears should be piling on pressure to ditch the cuts policy or she should resign." |
| His view was echoed by Ms Blears' Conservative counterpart Andrew Lansley, who said she needed to consider whose side she was on. | His view was echoed by Ms Blears' Conservative counterpart Andrew Lansley, who said she needed to consider whose side she was on. |
| "It is a government policy to say that units must be much larger. | "It is a government policy to say that units must be much larger. |
| "So if Hazel Blears doesn't like what happens as a consequence of government policy in her constituency, then perhaps she should change the government policy - or get out of the government." | "So if Hazel Blears doesn't like what happens as a consequence of government policy in her constituency, then perhaps she should change the government policy - or get out of the government." |