IT seems Labour councillor Peter McDonald is seeking to save face over the proposed cuts at the Alex.

He sees no issue when the Labour MP for Redditch, Jacqui Smith, calls a meeting to discuss the hospital situation, but criticises our Conservative MP Julie Kirkbride for organising a 'heavily politicised meeting' when she does the same on behalf of Bromsgrove residents!

Julie Kirkbride needs no lessons from Jacqui Smith in support of our local hospital - after all in 1997 we had three acute district hospitals in the county, all with a full A&E department.

Labour has already axed Kidderminster and A&E at the Alex hangs in the balance unless we can drum up £20m to plug the gap.

Perhaps Cllr McDonald might like to explain the much bigger question. Why we are all being taxed more for an improved NHS and yet facing cuts in local services?

Rita Dent

Assistant to Julie Kirkbride MP

Bromsgrove