Consultation over King George cuts ‘rigged’ says MP Mike Gapes

Published: 9:03 PM April 8, 2011 Updated: 8:34 AM October 13, 2020

MP Mike Gapes accused health chiefs this evening of holding a rigged consultation and ignoring the views of residents.

The rally followed a march from Romford to Ilford, passing the hospital in Barley Lane, Goodmayes.

Ilford North Conservative MP Lee Scott repeated his warning that the moves would lead to deaths and speaker after speaker questioned how services King George could be downgraded given Redbridge’s young, rapidly growing population.

Redbridge Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Ian Bond, who is also council deputy leader, told the 500 people gathered if a child drew a picture of a town a hospital was one of the first things they would draw and questioned the reasoning behind the closures.

But the strongest condemnation came from Ilford South Labour MP Mike Gapes who poured scorn on claims by Health for North East London that the cuts would improve health care for people.

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He highlighted the fact Havering had the oldest population in London and Redbridge one of the youngest and yet health chiefs had decided to centralise maternity services in Havering.

“It’s stupid,” he slammed.