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Hundreds march through Gosport in support of Haslar
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Chris Hill, march organiser.
“Nobody believes a word
our MP says anymore”.
“Nobody believes a word
our MP says anymore”.
Hundreds of people marched through the streets
of Gosport on Sunday, May 10, demanding that
the government change its mind and keep Haslar
Hospital open. The historic military hospital is due
to shut this summer.
The march is the latest in a series of efforts to
stop the closure of the 250-year old institution.
The march's organiser, Chris Hill, said the protest
had gone well. The veteran campaigner added he
was already planning the next one.
“I'm very pleased with how it went. I think one reason why there weren't more people is that a lot of
people think it is going to close anyway, which is very sad. But the people who turned up haven't
given up, I haven't given up.
“Everyone in Gosport agrees that Haslar should stay open, and that Gosport needs an A&E. We'll
organise another march the Sunday before the next General Election,and we'll make it the biggest
we've ever seen.”
Holding banners, balloons and home-made banners, the protesters set off from the steps of
Gosport Town Hall and did a circuit to the bus station before making their way back up the High
Street. The protesters – who ranged from families with young children to disabled veterans - were
greeted by motorists honking their horns in support of the march.
However there was widespread anger among protesters at the absence of senior politicians at the
march, in particular against Gosport's MP Sir Peter Viggers.
“I'm very disappointed that Peter Viggers MP and Peter Edgar, the chairman of the Haslar Task
Force, didn't turn up,” said Chris Hill. “A lot of people are saying the Task Force is dead in all
but name, so to be honest I didn't expect anything else. If they had been there it would have been
under false pretences. No one has got any faith in them any more.
“The question I have for our MP Peter Viggers is: are you actually doing anything to save Haslar, or
are you just saying you are? Nobody believes a word he says any more.”
Gosport News has been unable to contact Sir Peter Viggers for a reaction to the criticism, nor a
spokesman for the Labour Party, who also did not send a representative to the protest. Peter
Chegwyn, Lib Dem group leader on Gosport Borough Council, telephoned Christopher Hill during
the march to give his apologies saying he had been pulled into a last-minute council group meeting.
“At least Councillor Chegwyn had the courtesy to call me,” said Hill. “It goes to show that the Liberal
Democrats are the only party still supporting the campaign to save Haslar,” he added.
Hill went on to say that recent events showed that Haslar was now needed more than ever.
“Around 90% of the Royal Navy is now going to be based in Portsmouth, which means Haslar is
in exactly the right place to have a military hospital. The QA 'superhospital' is unable to cope with
patient numbers and is delaying operations or sending them back to Haslar to be operated on
there. Southampton General Hospital is on 'red alert' most of the year, St Mary's Hospital in
Portsmouth is being refurbished and sending patients to QA who are sending them to Haslar.
There is no space at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital to build an A&E. It all points to Haslar
being the logical place to invest, rather than wasting money on the QA.
“As well as being very time-consuming, the cost of getting to the QA from Gosport is horrendous.
The only people who will be able to afford the journey are MPs – as they will be able to claim it on
expenses!” he quipped.
He claimed that a number of people from Gosport may have died on their way to the accident and
emergency department at the QA Hospital because of traffic hold-ups. “If there was a government
minister who lived and got seriously ill in Gosport, they would soon change their mind after getting
stuck in traffic for 90 minutes. Either that or they would be dead on arrival.”
Lib Dem Councillor Peter Chegwyn said his party would continue to support the campaign to
save Haslar. “We are working very hard to persuade the Ministry of Defence to hand over the
site of the hospital to the Council so we can redevelop part of the site and use the money to keep
vital services and hospital beds open,” he said. “The problem is that the government are
moving very slowly, and it could mean that the hospital facilities and equipment are simply
unusable by the time they get around to doing anything.”
SEE “GOSPORT STRAIGHT TALK” BLOG FOR COMMENT
of Gosport on Sunday, May 10, demanding that
the government change its mind and keep Haslar
Hospital open. The historic military hospital is due
to shut this summer.
The march is the latest in a series of efforts to
stop the closure of the 250-
The march's organiser, Chris Hill, said the protest
had gone well. The veteran campaigner added he
was already planning the next one.
“I'm very pleased with how it went. I think one reason why there weren't more people is that a lot of
people think it is going to close anyway, which is very sad. But the people who turned up haven't
given up, I haven't given up.
“Everyone in Gosport agrees that Haslar should stay open, and that Gosport needs an A&E. We'll
organise another march the Sunday before the next General Election,and we'll make it the biggest
we've ever seen.”
Holding banners, balloons and home-
Street. The protesters – who ranged from families with young children to disabled veterans -
However there was widespread anger among protesters at the absence of senior politicians at the
march, in particular against Gosport's MP Sir Peter Viggers.
“I'm very disappointed that Peter Viggers MP and Peter Edgar, the chairman of the Haslar Task
Force, didn't turn up,” said Chris Hill. “A lot of people are saying the Task Force is dead in all
but name, so to be honest I didn't expect anything else. If they had been there it would have been
under false pretences. No one has got any faith in them any more.
“The question I have for our MP Peter Viggers is: are you actually doing anything to save Haslar, or
are you just saying you are? Nobody believes a word he says any more.”
Gosport News has been unable to contact Sir Peter Viggers for a reaction to the criticism, nor a
spokesman for the Labour Party, who also did not send a representative to the protest. Peter
Chegwyn, Lib Dem group leader on Gosport Borough Council, telephoned Christopher Hill during
the march to give his apologies saying he had been pulled into a last-
“At least Councillor Chegwyn had the courtesy to call me,” said Hill. “It goes to show that the Liberal
Democrats are the only party still supporting the campaign to save Haslar,” he added.
Hill went on to say that recent events showed that Haslar was now needed more than ever.
“Around 90% of the Royal Navy is now going to be based in Portsmouth, which means Haslar is
in exactly the right place to have a military hospital. The QA 'superhospital' is unable to cope with
patient numbers and is delaying operations or sending them back to Haslar to be operated on
there. Southampton General Hospital is on 'red alert' most of the year, St Mary's Hospital in
Portsmouth is being refurbished and sending patients to QA who are sending them to Haslar.
There is no space at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital to build an A&E. It all points to Haslar
being the logical place to invest, rather than wasting money on the QA.
“As well as being very time-
expenses!” he quipped.
He claimed that a number of people from Gosport may have died on their way to the accident and
emergency department at the QA Hospital because of traffic hold-
stuck in traffic for 90 minutes. Either that or they would be dead on arrival.”
Lib Dem Councillor Peter Chegwyn said his party would continue to support the campaign to
save Haslar. “We are working very hard to persuade the Ministry of Defence to hand over the
site of the hospital to the Council so we can redevelop part of the site and use the money to keep
vital services and hospital beds open,” he said. “The problem is that the government are
moving very slowly, and it could mean that the hospital facilities and equipment are simply
unusable by the time they get around to doing anything.”
SEE “GOSPORT STRAIGHT TALK” BLOG FOR COMMENT