Dear Mr Mangnall,
“It was a source of deep frustration to see Totnes MIU closed for a significant proportion of the last three years, which is why I am so delighted to see my campaign to reopen it prove successful earlier this year.”
The above statement is from your recent email and I take great issue with it.
You have called the reopening of the MIU ‘your campaign’.
If this issue had not been raised with you by the people of Totnes would you have initiated anything at all?
And you clearly did not notice the group with placards, on a relentlessly regular basis, outside the hospital and on the Plains collecting signatures and support for the reopening of the MIU.. I believe the campaign went on for about two years and, in fact, I have joined them on a number of occasions.
Now that was a ‘campaign’!
David Matthews and his colleagues orchestrated this from the outset, raising awareness of the issue and garnering huge support.
You are the local MP. It is your job to sort these matters, but without the strength and relentless campaigning of Mr Matthews and his group I would doubt the MIU would ever have re-opened. Or even been on your agenda.
Thank goodness that the nurses in the MIU appear to have recognised the efforts of their community even if you seem unable to!
What is so shameful and, frankly, embarrassing is that you have claimed all the credit for this without even an acknowledgement to your constituents who gave of their time, energy and complete commitment to this cause.
Have you contacted Mr Matthews personally to thank him and his group for their hard work in keeping this issue on the agenda?
I would hope by now you have had the grace and the good manners to do so.
Yours sincerely,
Suzanne Fearnside
Totnes
