Gloucester Tories picked Richard Graham just before Christmas to fight their seat at the next General Election. Richard is a Cotswold District councillor for Cirencester Park and, when he was trying unsuccessfully last year to become Stroud Conservative candidate for the election, he telephoned me - he commended this blog and was after the low down on Green issues - all credit to him for doing homework - it is a pity more politicians don't talk more.
Anyhow I don't know his 'green' views - does he for example support Tory plans to expand aviation and road building? I hope not! But that is perhaps for another blog - for now I wanted to pick up on his campaign to save mental health services at Holly House in Coney Hill. It is great to have his support for such vital services, but Labour have a point when they note it was Tory MPs who voted against all the extra money now going into our NHS.
Labour also claim that his fellow Conservative councillors on Gloucestershire's health committee have given the thumbs-up to plans for the closure of this important Gloucester resource. This is less clear as they are constrained by Government but either way Labour and Tories should really share the blame. The truth is that Labour's management of the NHS is misguided, but when you look at the underlying causes of the crisis, privatisation and marketisation, then you can only conclude that a Tory Government would be just as bad. See Green party letter here.
Our own Weavers Croft in Stroud remains threatened - and papers have also been reporting on yet another review of maternity services. I can't see how it can conclude the Maternity should close and at the moment am optimistic that it will confirm the need for it.
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