I WISH to take issue with Conservative spokesman Mark Garnier's letter, published last week, and remind him that the Conservatives were the first party, under the guidance of Kenneth Clarke and Virginia Bottomley, to announce cuts in our health service?

These were so severe over the years that it brought our once great health service to its knees.

I would also remind him that the Conservative Party also instigated the downgrading of Kidderminster Hospital, and the Labour Party carried it out.

With reference to the present MP, Dr Richard Taylor, being ignored as a single issue politician, may I say that if Mr Garnier was our MP he would have to do as he was told by h is party in London. So we are better of with an independent MP.

If you wish us to take you seriously Mr Garner, perhaps an undertaking from your new leader, when elected, to renew our hospital to its former glory, may help.

N THOMAS

Hampstall Lane, Astley Burf

n I cautiously welcome Mark Garnier stating in his letter that his party would oppose any more Worcestershire health cuts.

However, he, not surprisingly, omitted to say that it was the last Conservative government that set in motion the first wave of health cuts in the county with the infamous Investing in Excellence plan. This led to the disastrous downgrading of Kidderminster Hospital, and one of the main reasons why the county's health services are in such a financial mess now.

Following on from a recent independent report calling for more services to be returned to Kidderminster, a new Government report states that the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has one of the highest bed occupancy rates in the country.

The figures are well above Department of Health levels, set to allow hard-pressed staff enough time to thoroughly clean wards in order to combat hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA.

Surely there is a health and safety issue here which must be addressed urgently, taking into account these last two reports, and emphasising the need for even more beds.

For the trust to be under threat of even more cuts is a scandal, and will surely jeopardise everyone's health care in the county if carried out.

A NORTH

Windsor Drive

Stourport

n I read with total amusement the hypocrisy of Mark Garnier's comments of "Wasting money, ignoring voters".

I don't think anyone has ever found a political party that does not waste money with their good ideas club but I haven't any objections to keeping any health services open, so sad to say, I agree with Mr Garnier.

He says the 27,500 Wyre Forest voters who voted for Richard Taylor have been ignored. But those same voters were completely ignored by Mr Garnier's party when it came to rejecting a referendum on the tier system for district schools.

So double standards - the present government cannot ignore the voters, but the Conservatives can.

KEITH FISHER

Whimbrel Grove

Kidderminster