Hospital campaigners lay down a marker

(Pic: Guy Smallman)

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Activists from the Defend Whittington Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital campaigns in north London came together on Thursday of last week to hand in a petition at the department of health against plans for closures at London’s hospitals.

Campaigners also oppose the government’s NHS white paper, which Shirley Franklin, co-chair of the Whittington hospital coalition, described as “a threat to the whole NHS.”

Kate Wilkinson, of the Save Chase Farm campaign, said, “Days after the election in May, [Tory health minister] Andrew Lansley came to Chase Farm and stood outside the A&E to reassure everyone of the moratorium on closure. Now we have the same proposals on the table again.”

Local Labour Party leaders, who are part of the Whittington campaign, also joined the protest. Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn said, “We had a great victory in April. But what’s happened is that the secret report we exposed last year is still alive and kicking. It begins with the closure of A&E departments. It will end with the closure of whole hospitals and large-scale privatisation.”

Activists are determined to stop any cuts and closures.