Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, has hit back as “sour grapes” accusations from Labour that his campaign calling for the Treasury to release funds for a new hospital at the Royal Sussex County Hospital is politically motivated to gain votes.
Mr Kirby recently delivered a near 1,000 signature petition calling for a new hospital, he raised the issue at Prime Minister’s Question Time, met the Chancellor, the Health Secretary and other Ministers and liaised closely with hospital staff and the Chief Executive in Brighton and Hove.
On Saturday Unions representing thousands of hospital staff protested in Brighton city centre about planned cuts of £30m and accusing Mr Kirby of voting for the Health and Social Act that they say is allowing privatisation of local NHS services including the Royal Sussex Country Hospital.
Leader of Labour & Cooperative on Brighton & Hove Council, Cllr Warren Morgan, said:
“Our local MP has not attended any of the public meetings about the hospital, which I chair as the local councillor, for three years. He has asked no questions in the House of Commons to either the current Secretary of State for Health or his predecessor. He didn’t know when planning permission was granted, and is only now “campaigning” for the money after civil servants have indicated that the eighteen month delay in making a decision is about to come to an end. We need a modern NHS hospital in the city, why has the government dragged its feet for so long, and why has Mr Kirby done nothing about it till now?”
Simon responded saying:
“Regarding my lobbying efforts, Parliamentary Questions are just one of the many tools available to MPs. Again, Cllr Morgan knows that they don’t represent a comprehensive account of an MPs work on any particular issue. Since my election I have; held frequent meetings with Hospital representatives, Health Ministers and the Chancellor in order to press the case for redevelopment funding; maintained a consistent dialogue with relevant Government officials; raised the Royal Sussex at Prime Minister’s Questions; welcomed the Cabinet Minister to the hospital and delivered a petition signed by nearly 1,000 constituents to the Health Secretary.
“It is a shame that Cllr Morgan finds it necessary to make these petty attacks, which are intentionally misleading. I wasn’t able to attend Hospital Liaison meetings that were held on Monday evenings as I was required in Parliament, as all MPs are at that time. As Cllr Morgan knows I always sent my apologies and read the minutes carefully.
“His claim over the date of planning approval is untrue. There have been a number of additional planning applications to deal with concerning temporary buildings and relocation for the hospital to remain functional throughout the scheme. These applications are central to the redevelopment, and one of the things the Government has been looking carefully at as part of the due diligence.
“My hospital campaign is about bringing the community together to make a strong case to the Government for funding to be released. It is a shame Labour cannot get behind the campaign, as I think something which is so important to the city should be above party politics. However, to accuse this Government of dragging its feet is particularly bizarre, when Labour had 13 years to give Brighton the hospital it deserves.”
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