HOSPITAL campaigners have seized 11 council seats in Wyre Forest - fuelling speculation that they will now field a Parliamentary candidate.
Last night's success for the Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern party means it is the largest single group on the council, with 19 out of 42 seats.
But David Lock, the Labour MP for Wyre Forest, claimed today that the Health Concern party had run a "disgraceful campaign" fuelled by "lies" about health changes.
Dr Richard Taylor, chairman of Save Kidderminster Hospital Campaign, was "absolutely thrilled but very surprised" by the group's success.
"We have to remember that changes at Kidderminster General Hospital caused intense fury among local people so, with a large group like this representing us, we can kick up quite a fuss," he said.
He said the group had wanted to "take the temperature of support" during local elections before deciding whether to field a Parliamentary candidate.
Mr Lock said it was time for Health Concern "to say what they're in favour of and how they would solve the complex medical problems facing small district general hospitals such as Kidderminster.
"They've run a disgraceful campaign, making repeated, unjustified allegations against the health authority, against the Government and misrepresenting the true scale of changes at Kidderminster hospital."
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