5th October 2009

Dear Sir,

May I take this as an opportunity to comment on the recent letters by Mary Mulligan and John McGinty.

With the amount of activity by some labour group members methinks there is the whiff of an election in the near future. Labour party members continue to wrestle through their shock and anger in defeat.

As the letters clearly show there is no genuine sign of any rationalisation let alone an acceptance of hope for the future. Both allowed the dilution and removal of services from our local hospital. Personally, I see by action and deed on a daily basis no attempt to help in the return of these services to West Lothian, I see lots of remorse and attempts at political points scoring. The group remains in denial because they are so blinkered they could not see the change coming.

Mary offers to work with all parties and none to secure rezoning and to see the return of services to St. Johns. She also offers to provide support to those who want to work with common cause to achieve these goals. Yet in the last two years she has not made any approach either written or verbal to any of the groups fighting for the return of emergency surgery or elective orthopaedics. Why not, it appears some element of selected amnesia is at play here.

She says she resigned “it wisna me” that allowed the services to be moved to Edinburgh – “it was the wee man that ran away” Did she not tell us in 2007 that services had not gone?

The former leader of the Council, Graeme Morrice was on the board of NHS Lothian and signed up to these service changes at St. John’s. At no time can I recall him standing up and fighting the case for them to be retained. Rumour now has it that Graeme now wants to throw his hat into the Westminster ring and replace our high spending local MP. We will recall that Graeme and his health spokesperson in 2007 were the authorities highest paid councillors taking home just over £63,000 in the year.

I have every respect for John McGinty, however in his letter he fails to mention that the Council did agree to a statement of support to our health service workers for the hard work and dedication to their patients. It did not support the use of the NHS as a political football, being kicked around to score petty political points. John refused to join me in my suggestion to drop the political aspect and give a unanimous vote of support to the NHS. Whiff of an election coming our way?

The Labour group should now stop its inward thinking, look to the future and support without reservation those who are embarked on the quest to restore vital services to our local hospital. It is good to talk, so why are they so silent now? And more importantly will they still be silent come this next election. Will it once again be for Councillor Morrice “told you so”?

John Cochrane
Councillor
West Lothian Council