Jeremy Corbyn has criticised plans to close Huddersfield’s A&E.

The Labour Party leader told the Examiner that leaving people without a local emergency care service was “dangerous” and that the local NHS service was at “crisis” point.

Speaking on a visit to Batley on Thursday, Mr Corbyn also challenged Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to visit the district to listen and respond to people’s concerns.

Mr Corbyn, in Yorkshire to campaign for Batley and Spen by-election candidate Tracy Brabin , made the remarks at Batley Railway Station where he had come to meet campaigners concerned about the downgrading of services at Dewsbury District Hospital.

If both Huddersfield and Dewsbury’s services are downgraded – Dewsbury’s A&E is also at risk – it would leave the 440,000 strong population of Kirklees without an A&E.

Jeremy Corbyn is met by MP Paula Sherriff at Batley Railway Station
Jeremy Corbyn is met by MP Paula Sherriff at Batley Railway Station

Asked if that should be allowed to happen, Mr Corbyn said: “If the closures do happen, it (Kirklees) would be largest area in the country not to have an A&E.

“I’m concerned about the A&E crisis in this area but also across the country as a whole. We can’t allow this to go on. It leaves people at risk.

“By downgrading an A&E in some deep trauma cases the patients have to be taken somewhere else.

“If the ambulance is delayed or there is roadworks it could become dangerous and sadly this is when people will die.

See what Jeremy Corbyn has to say about plans to close our A&Es

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“We need fully funded A&E departments for everyone. Everyone has the right to expect the very best care in their locality. We can’t go on making people go longer distances.”

Mr Corbyn said the downgrade of hospital services was one of the major by-election issues.

He spoke to Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff and went to Mount Pleasant Medical Centre in Batley to meet Dr Khalid Naeem, who is a board member of the North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group and has been critical of the downgrade plans at Dewsbury hospital.

Mr Hunt has refused to come to Huddersfield to meet campaigners from HandsOffHRI saying it was a “local issue” – so campaigners went to London last Monday to show the strength of feeling and present a 134,000-signature petition at No10 Downing Street.

Jeremy Corbyn at Batley railway station with Hands Off HRI campaigners Mac Andrassy and Nat Ratcliffe

Mr Corbyn – who also met Mac Andrassy, Nat Ratcliffe and Alan Lansdowne from HandsOffHRI in Batley – said Mr Hunt should come to Huddersfield to listen to people’s concerns.

“Jeremy Hunt should make his way here to see what people have to say. I hope he would understand fears and concerns about it.”

Mr Andrassy, of Slaithwaite, said: “What would happen to us in Kirklees if we had no A&E?

“Oldham and Pinderfields hospitals are struggling. Our ambulance station is at threat of downgrading so we’d only have one ambulance.

“The extent of this is huge. People are really angry but on the plus side we have a brilliant campaign with people who’ve been involved in nothing like this before.”

Mr Corbyn, meanwhile, moved on to denounce Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs).

Jeremy Corbyn is met by Batley and Spen by-election candidate Tracy Brabin at Mount Pleasant Medical Centre, Batley

One of these was used to build Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax where emergency care would be centralised under the controversial Right Care Right Time Right Place proposals.

The cost of the PFI deal has been blamed for the need to shake up hospital services and close Huddersfield’s A&E.

“PFIs are sold off to all kinds of people,” said Mr Corbyn. “The debt levels are enormous.

“We are working on a plan and invite Government to take them over.

Jeremy Corbyn at Batley railway station with Hands Off HRI campaigners Mac Andrassy, Nat Ratcliffe and Alan Lansdowne

“We also need services that are being contracted out to be brought back in-house.

“If you have a hospital where services are run by hospital, if something goes wrong there’s an accountability process.

“If something goes wrong and it’s been privatised then suddenly it’s very complicated.

“Chasing contractors becomes the culture, rather than primary care for community.

“All of us need to come together to defend our NHS. It is so important.”

The future of Huddersfield’s A&E will be decided at a meeting of the Clinical Commissioning Groups at the Cedar Court Hotel at Ainley Top.