AN all-party alliance against hospital changes suffered a dent last night in a debate at Huddersfield Town Hall.

Councillors clashed in the wake of the decision by health bosses to move many services to Halifax.

Their fall-out came just weeks after leaders of the main parties united to call for the proposals to be scrapped.

Liberal Democrats came under attack at a full meeting of Kirklees Council.

Two of their party members on local NHS boards were accused of letting Huddersfield people down by voting in favour of the switch to Calderdale Royal Hospital.

They were named as David Payne, who served eight years as a Kirklees councillor, including four in the Cabinet, and Judith Powell, a parish councillor in Meltham.

Tory group leader Clr Robert Light said: "I find it staggering they could not come to a view which supported Huddersfield."

Lib-Dems on the council had claimed to be campaigning against the changes, he said.

He told the council: "The decision flies in the face of the massive opposition to these proposals."

Three protest marches have been held in Huddersfield against the transfer of hospital services and up to 50,000 people have signed petitions.

Vital services including maternity, gynaecology and orthopaedics are due to go from Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Labour last night accused the Lib-Dems of hypocrisy and called on them to apologise.

Group leader Clr Mehboob Khan, a member of the Trust, voted against plans to move maternity services.

Clr Ken Smith, Labour group deputy leader, said: "My party would not say one thing in public and do another in private."

Clr John Smithson, Lib-Dem deputy leader, said he had no hesitation in condemning his party members who voted for the changes.

He said: "It is to our shame and their shame."

But he added that Tory and Labour supporters on the health boards had also voted in favour.

* POLITICIANS who made claims of a massive `black hole' in town hall finances were told last night: You're wrong.

Liberal Democrat leader Clr Kath Pinnock hit back after Tories and Labour said Kirklees Council was facing a £28m crisis.

The two parties blamed overspending on social services and backdated claims by women workers for equal pay.

Clr Pinnock quoted a letter from council finance director Dick Hewitson, sent in response to her questions.

In it, he said: "In my view there never was a crisis."

Mr Hewitson's letter added: "There was a problem, but it has been solved."

Clr Pinnock urged her rivals to accept the word of the finance director.

But her plea failed to impress the other parties at last night's full council meeting.

Tory leader Clr Robert Light insisted: "This council has gone through the biggest financial crisis in its 32-year history."

The debate was carried out against the backdrop of local council elections due to be held next month.

Tories and Labour had made their claims in a rare joint statement.

Clr Mehboob Khan said: "A £22m black hole was found."

Liberal Democrat Clr Geoff Alvy, Cabinet member for children's services, claimed the other parties were

making cheap political points.