One of the things that should not be forgotten as we go into the polling booth is that Chris Mole has supported plans to cut the specialist units out of Ipswich Hospital and Ben Gummer has campaigned to attract them here. That’s what Ipswich gets when Labour (or any party) takes it for granted.

Save Ipsiwch Hospital Services

(If you look at the photo closely you’ll see Ben Gummer had a beard at the time. Oh dear.)

Yesterday Andrew Lansley came up to Ipswich Hospital in his battle bus (more like a skirmish van, but anyway) and was met by more than sixty supporters. In this he promised that a Conservative government would give Ipswich Hospital trust status. This will be a real advance.

He’s the only shadow cabinet minister to be guaranteed to get his portfolio should the Conservatives get a majority Let’s get him in and let’s hold him to it.

The NHYes battle bus

Chris Mole and Andy Burnham lay into Ben Gummer by saying that the only way he can be serious about the health service is by backing Labour’s plans.  All very partisan and stirring.

But there’s not a mention about Ipswich hospital and its status as something more than a district general hospital, which means one of:

1) Chris Mole doesn’t see the Hospital’s status as important to our health – but doesn’t really want another debate on it

2) It would be just rude to mention Ipswich hospital to Andy Burnham, a man who’s been degrading the hospital fairly systematically

3) The Hospital just clear slipped Mr Mole’s mind (after all Westminster’s hospitals are pretty nice)

So Mr Mole, why did you have a big announcement on health and not address the big health issue in Ipswich, is our hospital going to be a bog standard District General Hospital in five year’s time?

The Evening Star has a piece about a substantial step forward in the campaign to stop heart services being removed from Ipswich hospital.  Would it have been at all possible without Ben Gummer’s campaign and investigation?

In other words if had been left to Chris Mole then the heart services would have gone.  There’s no use denying this.  No matter how much Labour councillors hate it, being a marginal constituency – or ward – has its advantages.

Just a reminder that the Heart Debate is on today. Do you think that we deserve a heart service in Ipswich or do you think we should go to Cambridge if we have a heart attack?

7 PM, Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road.

The BIG Health Debate
Conservatve spokesman Ben Gummer goes head to head with Chris Mole over the future of emergency cardiac services at Ipswich Hospital.

Chris Mole will be speaking in favour of heart attack victims in Bridge going to Norwich, Cambridge or Basildon.  Ben Gummer will be speaking in favour of heart attack victims going to Ipswich hospital.

Date & time: Sunday 28th June, 7pm – doors open from 6.30pm
Location: Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich IP1 2BX

Click here for a map.