Campaigners deserve credit for Infirmary fight

Philip Roth, novelist, Ursula Andress, actress,

Mario Monti, former Italian prime minister, Glenn Close, actress, Bruce Willis, actor Terry Hall, lead singer of The Specials Warren Barton, former footballer, Kolo Toure, footballer, WHAT wonderful news that that the closure plan for Huddersfield Royal Infirmary is going to judicial review.

I had just returned from the Huddersfield Over Fifties Forum (HOFF) AGM - which was very lively and l am sure the Old Court Room at Huddersfield Town Hall was still ringing hours after our departure.

HOFF has always supported both campaign parties in the hard slog towards getting this offical review.

Although we have always believed they were stronger together it was nevertheless a credit to both teams.

When the wonderful news came through l suppose it was all the sweeter compared to the worrying international politics developing at the moment and over which we have little control.

To both groups l say thank you for all you do and any judge, when the detail has been submitted, surely must find for keeping our respected and much loved hospital and A&E services.

A large successful university town with an ever increasing

He confidently asserts that “we did vote to join the EU 40 years ago”. No, twice over, we most definitely did not.

We joined the European Economic Community (“Common Market”) in 1972 without an explicit vote on the matter.

The EU is a very different entity which essentially did not come into being until the Maastricht Treaty on which we were denied a vote.

In 1975 we had a vote on whether or not to remain in the Common Market, with a clear majority wishing to remain.

I voted “no” but, being a committed believer in democracy, accepted the majority decision.

To repeat, we did not vote to join the Common Market but voted after the fact to remain inside.

Forty-odd years later the European project is unrecognisable when set against the Common Market of 1972.

It is a political, not trading, organisation committed to “ever closer union” and ultimately a United State of Europe.

Such dramatic changes are enough to warrant the latest referendum and the decision of that is again clear. A vote to leave.

I accepted the 1975 vote which went against my firmly held beliefs.

Clearly it is too much to hope that Mr Woolley can, in turn, accept the latest decision.