12 HOUR VIGIL on 20th September 2008. Over 400 signatures collected.

12 HOUR VIGIL on 20th September 2008. Over 400 signatures collected.
photo copyright News Shopper.

Saturday 23 February 2008

John to stand in London Assembly elections as a candidate for Bexley & Bromley Constituency

I am pleased to announce today that I will be standing as a candidate in the forthcoming London Assembly elections to be held on 1st May. I will standing in the Bexley & Bromley constituency as a candidate for Independents to save Queen Mary's Hospital. Unfortunately our local politicians are are not doing anything like enough to stop our A & E from closing. Therefore, by standing, every vote that I receive will be a vote that sends a message to our local and national government that we demand a local hospital that offers ALL services. I read today that quangos - that's semi-public bodies with financial support from, and senior appointments made by, the government - now spend £123,000,000,000 of our - the taxpayers' - money a year! The interviewers and interviewees for these quangos are all part of the same cosy club with multiple "directorships" and big salaries to match. I want some of that money and I want it for our local hospital in order that it can continue to offer a full health service.

Nothing less will do.

Tuesday 5 February 2008

Derek Conway MP must go....now?

It comes as no surprise that despite 91%* of Old Bexley & Sidcup constituents saying that he should "go now", at the time of writing it appears that Derek Conway MP is going to attempt to hang onto his job until the general election, which could be over 2 years away, with his salary, expenses and extremely generous pension remaining intact. Let's get one thing clear - this guy has misappropriated YOUR money. Why should he be allowed to remain as an MP, whether as a Conservative or not?

The problem that the Conservatives are going to have come the general election, should Derek Conway hang on, is that the voters of Old Bexley & Sidcup are going to see that a vote for CONSERVATIVE X is an endorsement of a party that accepts the shenanigans of its previous MP. I will take on whoever stands as the Conservative candidate in Old Bexley and Sidcup, even if I do have to wait until the general election. I would love to say "bring it on" now and let's have a by-election...but, although I can understand people thinking that "if he says he wants x he actually wants y", my job would become easier by the day, week and month, taking on a failed politician, so that at the last, when the general election is called, the voters will say, "good riddance to bad meat" and vote anything but CONSERVATIVE X. So, if he's not going to do the moral thing and go now, then that suits me just fine.

*'Phone poll, 4.2.08, by Independents to save Queen Mary's Hospital, of 137 voters who expressed an opinion

Derek Conway MP faces challenge from Independents to Save Queen Mary's Hospital

Independents to Save Queen Mary's Hospital, the party set up last October to fight to prevent any reduction in and closing of services at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup which is in Derek Conway's constituency, today announced that its party leader, John Hemming-Clark, will stand in the Old Bexley & Sidcup Constituency at the next General Election.

Commenting on this announcement, John said,

"Having stood in the by-election in 2006 in the neighbouring Constituency of Bromley & Chislehurst, I know only too well how the electorate is completely fed up with MPs putting themselves before their constituents. (The Conservatives nearly lost this seat which was previously thought of as very safe).

Derek Conway should be spending his time fighting for our local Queen Mary's Hospital to retain its services, including Accident & Emergency which is under serious threat of closure. However, we find he is more interested in getting his family onto the Westminster gravy train than campaigning locally.

Independents to Save Queen Mary's Hospital's aims include rebuilding first-rate services for local people, including the local health provision and we, and not Derek Conway, are the only party to fight for local people to acheive these aims."