AS a candidate for UKIP I am obliged to point out that the principle reason for the closure of Kidderminster Hospital was EU regulation - the imposition of a 48-hour working week for junior doctors, making the hospital unviable.

We do not dispute that junior doctors have been working excessive hours, but consider that it is up to this country to resolve the situation in its own way and its own time.

We support withdrawal from the EU, making it possible to avoid this situation in the future.

Our withdrawal from the EU and the resultant independence dividend will provide sufficient funds to make substantial injections in the National Health Service.

I personally believe:

That acute inpatient and A&E services at Kidderminster Hospital must be restored.

That the waiting list initiative should be abolished. Waiting times should be reduced. The sickest patients should be given priority.

That prescription charges, dental and optical fees, should be abolished - really make the NHS a free service.

Health Concern conducted a campaign against these proposals. It has proved to be a complete, dismal failure. It made the fatal mistake of registering itself as a political party and participating in local elections. Immediately it alienated the Labour MP and Government, thus destroying any hope of the initial decisions being reversed.

Health Concern is now as much a political party as Labour or the Conservatives. It has been campaigning on one issue - and for all practical purposes that is as dead as the dodo.

Why? Because Health Concern appears to have conceded that there is no hope of the original A&E services being restored to Kidderminster Hospital and appears to be making a U-turn on the restoration of other services.