My duty is to listen and to respond to concerns

AS a politics graduate I find it hard to think where politics is not involved in human activity.

Consequently I never said to keep politics out of the HRI campaign.

I asked for the mainstream parties to be more involved in the campaign – because our views are supported by the vast majority – to drown out the fringe left-wing groups.

I called for less party political posturing and your Lindley correspondent, Mr Verguson, has a go at me for saying that.

It seems that elements of the Labour Party have taken exception to my remarks. I was passing on the concerns of the Hands off HRI campaign.

Everyone wants the HRI to be left as an A&E centre and to retain services there as much as possible.

I have co-operated with my Labour colleagues on a number of issues recently involving Kirklees Council and do genuinely believe that every one of them has the welfare of the residents of our area at heart.

No-one goes into politics to make things worse but change is not always for the better.

I am not here to speak on behalf of the Government or even my party on this, I am responding to the concerns of the people of Almondbury and the rest of the Huddersfield area.

I have a duty to listen to them and represent their views.

There is no way I am backing down from my support for the Hands off HRI campaign because, as the Examiner itself says, right is might, and this a a right and just cause.

I did not fight for years to get elected to stand back and watch my town suffer and decline.

If I represent the people, I will do it to the best of my ability and stand judged at re-election time.