THE VOTE Arjinder Thiara Workers Revolutionary Party for Ealing Southall campaign team got great support from Ealing Hospital workers and patients yesterday morning, following a powerful intervention at the final election hustings meeting at Featherstone High School in Southall on Monday evening.
Candidate Arj said: ‘There were over 120 people at the hustings meeting. All the candidates were saying about saving Ealing Hospital but people accused them of only getting involved now because of the election.
‘We are the only party that has been campaigning since day one, they are only saying it now to try and get the votes in. The Tory candidate is a junior doctor and he claimed the hospital is not closing, but it’s clear Tory policy under the Sustainability and Transformation Plan to close Ealing Hospital. Everyone shouted him down.
‘The Labour policy is particularly hypocritical because they have done nothing to stop the closure of Ealing’s maternity or paediatrics, and then they turned up outside the hospital last week with the local press and TV cameras. It was just for show pre-election. We are getting great support for our policy to mobilise the trade unions to save the hospital and reopen all the closed facilities.’
Southall WRP campaigner Surinder Grewal said: ‘Arj spoke well for us, he answered all the questions. There were six candidates and he was clearly the best.
‘The Tory candidate claimed the hospital was not going to close and people shouted “you are not telling the truth”. Labour candidate Sharma was also challenged over his divisive comments which were disgraceful from someone who is supposed to represent a multi-cultural community. People at the meeting supported Arj and his policies.’
Coming off night shift at Ealing Hospital yesterday, Francesca Rai, a Health Care Assistant and Unison member, said: ‘I’m a friend of Arj and his family and I’m voting for him and getting all my friends to as well. This hospital is so important, it’s central to the whole area, I’ve worked here since 2002. Most of the patients are quite elderly. The trade unions should all fight to stop this hospital closing.’
Gertrude Francis, a passenger assistant for special needs children, said: ‘I’m voting for Arj to fight for social services and for action to save our hospital.’ Sunil Gautham, Ealing Hospital security worker, said: ‘My whole family uses this hospital, we must save it. Arj is my friend for a long time, I’m voting for him.’
Doctor Omar Hussein, BMA member, said: ‘This hospital is rapidly approaching a situation where it ceases to be viable as a district general hospital, having already lost Maternity, the Charlie Chaplin children’s ward and paediatrics. The A&E is immediately threatened with closure. The unions and the community must intervene before it is too late.’
