Tell Stephen Lloyd to Oppose Clause 118- Hands OFF our hospitals !

Campaigning group 38 Degrees have contacted us about their current campaign to oppose Section 118 of the Care Bill:

"Jeremy Hunt, the health minister, is pushing through a law which would give him the power to close any hospital in England without listening to local people. No hospital is safe. [1]

Over the last 24 hours 38 Degrees members have voted in our tens of thousands and the result is clear: 97% of us want to launch a big campaign against the law and protect our hospitals. [2]

Your MP, Stephen Lloyd, is an influential government MP. He’ll be under pressure from party bosses to support the sweeping new law. But he’s also been a vocal supporter of the local campaign to save Eastbourne's District General Hospital. [3] So he’s in a tricky position.

There are lots of things we can do together to make sure Stephen Lloyd does the right thing and stands up against this dreadful new law. He won’t want to go against his voters on such a key local and national issue such as the campaign to protect the NHS.

What do you think? Stephen Lloyd MP could be key to winning the campaign against this law. Would you take part in a local campaign to push Stephen Lloyd to stand up for hospitals across the country? Help decide the next steps by filling out this quick poll:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/hospital-closure-clause-poll

Our NHS is precious. And it’s important we know that hospitals, A&E and maternity services are there for us when we need them. It’s terrifying to imagine the government having the power to close any hospital without hearing the wishes of the local community.

38 Degrees members in other areas of the country - where MPs have been vocal supporters of a campaign to save their local hospital - will also be voting to help decide next steps. If 38 Degrees members vote to put pressure on enough key MPs to come out against the new law, it would be a huge blow for Jeremy Hunt, and could result in the whole plan being scrapped."

Remembering the Miners' Strike

Brighton Trades Council and the Sussex Labour Representation Committee present an afternoon of music, politics, memories & laughs,  1.30pm-4.30pm, Saturday 8 March (doors 1pm)  at Friends' Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton 

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1984/85 Miners' Strike and mark International Women's Day with Sussex LRC, Brighton & Hove District Trades Council, representatives of the Kent miners, Women Against Pit Closures, and some top speakers, musicians and comedians at Brighton's Friends' Meeting House from 1.30pm - 4.30pm on Saturday 8 March.  Doors will open at 1pm when Anne's delicious refreshments will be available - a great start of an afternoon of music, politics, memories and laughs.

Our headliners include Bob Crow (RMT), Manuel Cortes (TSSA) and Simon Weller (ASLEF) – reflecting the great solidarity shown by railway workers to the miners during the strike, representatives from Betteshanger NUM and Women Against Pit Closures, with Joy Hurcombe from Labour CND, as well as singer/songwriter Robb Johnson, comedian and activist Kate Smurthwaite, and the Malthouse Duo with Don Walker on sax and Robert Deering on keyboards.

As this event is a fundraiser for the Kent Miners' Festival and the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign, we want to ensure the Friends’ Meeting House is full to capacity.  Wherever possible, please email us to buy your tickets in advance - only £5 waged or £3 unwaged.  Tickets will also be on sale at the Brighton & Hove LRC meeting on Thursday 27 February and can be bought in person from Sussex LRC's Chair, the President of B&H Trades Council, Andy Richards, and some others.

If you are coming from outside Brighton and aren't familiar with the Friends' Meeting House, you can find directions to it and much more information via  http://www.brightonquakers.co.uk/about-the-building-2/map-directions  If you are travelling from outside Brighton, I strongly recommend buying your tickets in advance.