Craig Mackinlay must raise the QEQM stroke issue in parliament

South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay has today refused to stand up and object to the closure of QEQM hospital's stroke unit in Parliament.

Mr Mackinlay assures us that he is 'fighting for the QEQM', but he still sticks by the arguments of the STP (the group of top tier NHS executives who want to push the plan through), refuses to raise the matter in Parliament or openly oppose the plans. Instead, he prefers to wait until the joint committee vote the plan through. He intends to stand by and take no action until after the vote, at which point there will be no channel by which the plans can be opposed, and the plans will go ahead. The only option left open to us at that time will be an expensive and difficult legal case.

As our MP, we ask him, what is the point of having a public platform and a position if influence if you are unwilling to use it when a matter of such grave significance comes along?

We the undersigned demand that Mr Mackinlay raise the vehement objections of those in his constituency to this plan in parliament as soon as possible.