Clive Efford is demanding an apology from the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt after the minister accused Clive of misleading parliament over the government’s proposed closure of Lewisham A&E.

Clive challenged Mr Hunt in the Commons today asking him what state our local emergency health services would be in now if the proposed closure had gone ahead.

Clive was astonished when Mr Hunt said there had never been any plans to close Lewisham A&E and accused Clive of “scaremongering.”

Clive says, “I couldn’t believe my ears when he said they had never proposed to close Lewisham A&E.  I have had ministers not answer a question or not give the full facts, but this was a blatant attempt to mislead the House of Commons.  I raised his answer with the Speaker of the House and demanded that Hunt withdraw his statement. He has accused me of lying and if he has any decency he will withdraw his comments at the earliest opportunity.”

Brief history of Tory attempts to close Lewisham A&E

• Mr Matthew Kershaw was appointed by Andrew Lansley as a “special administrator” for the South London Healthcare NHS Trust in July 2012

• In his report of 2012 Mr Kershaw recommended to Jeremy Hunt that Lewisham A&E be closed.  This recommendation was accepted by Mr Hunt

• After a massive local campaign including a protest march in Lewisham when 25,000 people took to the streets, a Judicial Review was launched.

• The courts ruled in October 2013 that the Government had acted illegally and that Jeremy Hunt did not have power to implement cuts at Lewisham Hospital in south-east London.