PRESSURE groups have joined forces to send out a political SOS call in Huddersfield.

Campaigners involved in efforts to protect various public services have united to form new political group, Save Our Services.

They include Mel Mills, a parent who successfully fought to save the Tiddlywinks Nursery at Deighton.

She picked up nearly 300 votes at the last council election on a platform of fighting nursery closures.

She intends to stand in Ashbrow ward again next year.

She said: “Save Our Services will be a grassroots organisation set up to challenge the failure of mainstream parties to speak out for people such as ourselves.

“We want to give them a voice.”

Current councillor and GP Jackie Grunsell, who won a seat on Kirklees Council under the Save The NHS banner, is also involved.

She was elected last year on the back of a campaign to stop services being moved from Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to Halifax.

Dr Grunsell said: “There’s a feeling that there is very little difference between the three main parties and they aren’t fighting for ordinary, working class people.

“There needs to be a broader alternative, particularly with regard to public services – they are really under attack and no-one is trying to do anything to stop it.”

Also backing the SOS movement are workers from Unique Care.

The Birkby-based company is paid by Kirklees Council to look after elderly people in Birkby, Fixby and Fartown.

In January 12 care workers were sacked after they went on an unofficial strike to protest against the dismissal of home care manager Sonia Senior.

Four other employees who were either sick or on holiday at the time were also dismissed.

They have been campaigning for their jobs back ever since.

Mel Mills said parents fighting the proposed closure of Fartown High School and reopen it as an academy also had the group’s support.

She added: “All these cuts will devastate working class areas and it’s time ordinary working people stood up to defend our communities.

“We welcome to our platform striking workers from the postal service, civil service and local government.”

The SOS group is holding a rally at Huddersfield Town Hall tonight, to drum up support and organise future development.

It starts at 7.15pm.