Letter: Neglected campaign

Am I right in thinking it was Crawley’s MP, Henry Smith who wrote to the Chief Constable asking for a police investigation? I trust he is pleased with the outcome.

I only wish Henry was as diligent in fighting on the issues that are important to his own constituents rather than those of a constituency 450 miles away.

The Chief Executive of our local health trust has recently said that there is effectively no hope of a new hospital in Crawley in the foreseeable future. This made me reflect on the many promises, the campaign and the column inches that Henry devoted to what he called “the number one issue for people in Crawley” prior to his election in May 2010.

It was Henry’s top election pledge. Thousands of people joined his Campaign 4 Pease Pottage Hospital, all were told that Henry had developed detailed plans, affordable within budget, to deliver a new hospital for Crawley within 4-5 years. Well the NHS budget has been protected and Henry said his plans were affordable, so he cannot blame the economic situation for his lack of progress on this issue.

So I had a look to see just what Henry has done about this since becoming the MP for Crawley. I searched Hansard, his own web pages and independent sites like ‘They Work for You’ to see just how this priority campaign was going.

Astonishingly I found no reference whatever relating to a new hospital in Crawley. No debates, no oral questions, no written questions, no campaigning – nothing.

So I have two question for Henry.

What do you mean when you say on your website:

I am convinced this (a new hospital in Crawley) is a priority not just as Crawley’s Member of Parliament but also as a resident myself?

In what way and how hard have you pressed the case at Westminster and promoted your ‘detailed plans’ to achieve a new hospital for Crawley?

Do others feel Henry has neglected this campaign?

Certainly the Campaign 4 Pease Pottage Hospital web site was taken down just prior to the election and disbanded once Henry was elected.

Alison Cornell, Crawley Down