The General Election looms nearer and the Government is changing apparently, which may or may not be to everyone’s taste and some wonder if it is worth bothering on July 4. 

The answer to that is most definitely, yes, to vote and make it matter relating to local issues, if nothing else. 

In Winchester, there is a marked difference in local issues supported by the candidates and it will be interesting to hear them speak at the hustings evening. There are Independents, Green, Labour, SDP and Reform all as minority parties. According to the media and parties themselves, it is likely that either the Liberal Democrats or Conservatives will win the seat of Winchester. 

Local issues that are in the forefront of my mind are:

  1. The future of our hospital in Winchester and removal of the acute services to Basingstoke: This is hugely political and although Flick Drummond is happy to allow this to happen, Danny Chambers is keen to maintain acute health care in or near to Winchester (any new hospital built in the current plans will be about 15 or 23 miles from the current RHCH which is too far if complications arise, especially in childbirth). 
  2. The state of our chalkstreams: Both main contenders attest to wanting to preserve our rivers but from Flick’s voting record you would think that is not the case. She has also said we shouldn’t flush our toilets during wet weather if we don’t want sewage discharges, which is just daft. Danny has referred to water companies discharging sewage into our rivers as “eco-vandalism”, is a vet and has a scientific intellect. 

I want an MP who lives in our constituency, will protect our NHS services and look after the environment.

Ginny Ward,
Main Road,
Littleton

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