PRIME Minister Theresa May dismissed plans to axe Huddersfield’s A&E department as “scaremongering” when she was quizzed about its future today.
The Conservative leader brought her election campaign to Dewsbury where she spoke to a packed audience of supporters and media representatives ahead of Thursday’s General Election.
Mrs May outlined her campaign promises in front of an audience of around 100 packed into a tiny function room at Thornhill Cricket Club.
In an unexpected move she took a limited number of questions from members of the press, including Examiner local government reporter Nick Lavigueur.
He asked the PM for her thoughts on the controversial proposal to close the town’s A&E department as part of hospital shake-up plans.
Nick asked: “Is it right that Kirklees, one of the largest councils in the country, could end up with no full A&E?”
Mrs May replied: “There are plans around the country for changing the configuration of possible services.”
When pressed further about the threat to local hospital services specifically, she added: “My understanding is there’s some scaremongering going on.
“I suggest that people don’t listen to that scaremongering.
“The Conservative party is going to be putting funding into the NHS and ensuring that the NHS at the local level is driven by local people and what local people need.
“If you want that you also need a good Conservative representative locally.”
The PM, bolstered by cheers from her supporters throughout her appearance, also insisted that local voters were key to her party triumphing at the polls.
She was introduced to the stage by former Tory leader and Yorkshireman William Hague who described Mrs May as “the right, the best and the only Prime Minister for this country.”
Mrs May described voters in Yorkshire as “critical” in the election and added: “If I lose just six seats, my government loses its majority so every vote of this election counts.”
The PM’s last minute appearance, which focused heavily on the party’s plans for Brexit negotiations and criticising Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s “coalition of chaos” should he reach Number 10, was praised by local politicians.
The Tories are aiming to win back the marginal Dewsbury seat from Labour’s Paula Sherriff, who took it off them narrowly in 2015.
Tory candidate Beth Prescott said: “Mrs May was very clear about her plan for the area (with a) strong plan for Brexit.”
Consituency chairman Mark Eastwood added: “We need to be winning seats like Dewsbury for a healthy majority in Parliament.
““We’ve had a very positive response on the doorsteps but we are not complacent.”
