We have only six weeks left to mount a county-wide campaign to halt the insane plan to close our community hospitals. Local health chiefs will only listen to us if we turn out in force to make plain that we will not tolerate this act of official vandalism.

Labour Ministers are demanding huge spending cuts in Shropshire because of their mismanagement of the NHS. But closing community hospitals is a false economy. As the population ages, we need more services close to local people, not fewer. Closures in country areas will only make things worse by intensifying the pressures on expensive acute hospitals.

I will not rest until I have made Ministers see sense, but I need the help of everyone - from all parties and none - to force a rethink.

I am now demanding a meeting between the Health Secretary and all Shropshire MPs to discuss the crisis.

Last Friday, I warned the so-called experts that if they care about real efficiency they should make more use of our community hospitals - as previously planned with the Bridgnorth redevelopment - to make life easier for big acute hospitals.

I urge everyone to attend the marches being held in Bridgnorth and Ludlow on Saturday 7th January.

Please sign the petition circulating in your area, come to the public meetings, and march to Save our Hospitals. For further information, or to register support, visit www.SaveOurBridgnorthHospital.com and www.SaveOurLudlowHospital.com, or telephone my office if you want to help on 01584 872 187.