The BMA Rally on February 25th to discuss a fightback against a massive programme of £5bn worth of cuts in hospitals, health services and NHS jobs over the next 5 years is an important initiative, which in previous eras may have come first from one of the TUC unions.

It comes as a new campaign lifts off in SW London, to run alongside campaigns against the dismemberment of King George’s Hospital, Ilford and Chase Farm Hospital Enfield, and against cuts from the merger of the Whittington and Royal Free Hospitals in North Central London.

The cuts are looming on the horizon, to begin soon after the May election no matter which main party wins the election. The consequences (the loss of 5-6,000 beds in London, thousands of jobs and 5 or 6 hospitals effectively closed) are so great that campaigns could well success in delaying or mitigating the damage.

The left has generally been weak on the NHS in London: let’s not fall short now!

For more details see John Lister’s article in Tuesday’s Morning Star http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/86860 , the coverage in the forthcoming Respect Paper, and Health Emergency at www.healthemergency.org.uk

THURSDAY 25 FEBRUARY, 7pm
BMA Open meeting on the threats to the NHS in London
with speakers Dr John Lister from Health Emergency will present his BMA-commissioned report “London on the Brink” at BMA House, Tavistock Square, London

SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY, 12 noon
March and Rally to Defend the Whittington Hospital’s A&E
Assemble Highbury Fields, Highbury & Islington tube.