Politicians clash over kids’ ward closure claims

Anger over accusations of snubbing RAH issue

A war of words has broken out between political rivals over their support for a closurethreatened sick kids’ ward.

Mhairi Black and Alison Dowling, who are both hoping to win a seat at Westminster next month, have clashed over Ward 15, the children’s ward at Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital.

Labour candidate Dowling has criticised her SNP rival for snubbing the hospital issue on her campaign leaflet.

While Black has described the accusation as “nonsense and misleading” while reminding her Paisley and Renfrewshire South seat competitor that health is a matter for Holyrood, not Westminster.

Ms Dowling said: “First we had SNP councillors failing to even mention the RAH and the future of ward 15 in their manifesto for the recent local elections.

“Now we have Mhairi Black doing the same thing in her election materials.

“The SNP’s silence on the matter is symbolic of their position on the proposed closure of the children’s ward.

“They are rapidly abandoning the RAH and local families.

“It’s little wonder that local parents have had enough of Mhairi Black.

“She failed to speak out against the closure of ward 15 when she was the MP and will continue to remain silent if she is re-elected.”

However, Ms Black, who is seeking re-election, hit back: “The accusation is nonsense as well as misleading.

“As soon as the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – which had no SNP representation – voted in favour of the proposed changes to Ward 15 I wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Health stating in the plainest terms that I am absolutely against these changes and that I wanted her to come to Renfrewshire to meet with the concerned parents who had approached me.

“She agreed and I was happy to arrange that meeting.

“It is curious how much time the Labour candidate spends talking about devolved issues in her campaign material, which she would have absolutely no control over if elected to Westminster.

“Perhaps it is a smokescreen to cover Labour’s horrific record in Westminster the past two years.”

She added: “I have been taking my case to the people of Renfrewshire, and I would rather use the space in my campaign material to talk about issues than to smear opponents. I believe that is exactly the treatment the people of Renfrewshire deserve.”

Ms Black was recently heckled by protesters as she attended a summit with campaigning families and health minister Shona Robison over the proposed removal of paediatric services.

Activists shouted “liar” as she made her was through the High Street and into the YMCA, where talks were held.

In February, the health board voted 15 to seven in favour of relocation of treatment for youngsters from Corsebar Road.

Holyrood will have the final say on whether to move care to the Royal Hospital For Children in Glasgow after opposition MSPs united to call the decision in.

The Kids Need Our Ward group have collected around 15,000 signatures of people opposed to the changes.