Nancy Platts: Labour's parliamentary candidate

Dear Will My position on Iraq has been published in The Rose and is very clear. I was on the early demonstrations in Parliament Square campaigning against the war and also went on the marches. I do
not see war as a solution to global problems, I believe killing innocent people is wrong and I am greatly saddened at every news story about lives being lost as a result of action in Iraq. The
bombing of Iraq must have been terrifying for Iraqi people and many people are now living without basic amenities. I hope now that Gordon Brown will continue to seek an early withdrawal from Iraq and
that the UK will provide ongoing investment and support to the Iraqi people to repair the physical damage done to their country. The damage done to families who have lost loved ones can never be
repaired and for this, I believe, as a nation, we should apologise. I do not wish to see the National Health Service being comprised of competing sets of service providers, or the transfer of any
existing NHS staff to the private sector. As a delegate to Labour party conference in 2006, I supported the Unison position asking the Government to re-think its move to outsource NHS logistics and
hand it over to DHL. With this in mind I have been encouraged by the new approach of Government in cancelling a number of Independent Sector Treatment Centres (I.S.T.C’s). This week the Secretary of
State announced that seven proposed I.S.T.C’s will no longer proceed as the services can be delivered by the publicly owned NHS. I.S.T.C’s should only be considered where there are genuine
difficulties with meeting additional demand from NHS capacity and patient health would be adversely affected. With respect to NHS reconfiguration I support this where it improves quality or access,
but not a reduction in services across the County. In particular, I am concerned that sufficient accident and emergency and maternity services are available to meet the needs of local people in each
of the areas affected. In addition whatever changes happen, any additional resources and facilities needed in Brighton to meet extra pressures on the Sussex County must be in place before the changes
are implemented. Finally I would like to emphasise the overall improvements within the National Health Service since the election of the Labour Government in 1997. Spending on the NHS will be nearly
90 per cent higher in real terms, and the UK health spending as a proportion of GDP is expected to rise from 6.8 per cent to over 9 per cent, in line with EU average. Additional improvements are
being delivered through further increases in funding over and above other Government departments so that spending increases from around £90 billion in 2007-08 to £110 billion by 2010-11, an average
real increase in spending of 4 per cent a year. Significantly increased resources for the National Health Service (NHS) have helped save over 160,000 lives from 1996-2004 as a result of reductions to
mortality rates from cancer and circulatory diseases among people aged under 75; I hope you find this information reassuring. Nancy

Hi Nancy. Two questions to find out what Labour person you are. What position did you take at the time of the Iraq war? Did you protest against it? Do you support the government's policy on
healthcare? i.e the implementation of competition within the NHS and the subsequent hospital closures. Kind Regards Will

Hello Alan Thanks for your comments and I’m sorry to hear that you no longer feel safe in Brighton. I attended a meeting with the Sussex Police Authority (Brighton and Hove East District) last week
where I raised the issue of drug dealing. The Police said that they don’t always move in immediately but build evidence over a period of time. It’s important that residents help the police to tackle
drug dealing by report incidents and this can be done anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. You don’t say which part of Brighton you live in, but I’m attending a meeting with the
Brighton and Hove Central District of Sussex Police next Monday (15th). I’ll raise drug dealing again and also begging. It’s a public meeting, so you can come along too and I’d be happy to meet you
there. Labour have worked hard to support LGBT issues, including the introduction of civil partnerships, scrapping Section 28, outlawing discrimination in good and services (with no exceptions) and
much more. A comprehensive list can be found at http://www.lgbtlabour.org.uk/index.php?page=22. LGBT Labour is very active and an organisation you may wish to consider joining. I am personally
committed to ensuring equality for LGBT people. I’ve been on several Pride marches, including Brighton Pride this year and publicised my support for the event. I also supported Labour LGBT’s call to
make incitement to homophobic hatred an offence and I’m pleased to say that Jack Straw will be announcing plans for this to be included in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill. If you want to
talk to me in confidence about any issue you can email me through the website or phone me at the office. I’m pleased to hear that you’ve been a lifetime supporter of Labour and given the positive
action taken by Labour that I’ve described, I hope you will consider adding your support to my campaign. Best wishes Nancy

Hi Nancy I moved to Brighton 24 years ago from Glasgow I am very sad the way Brighton has gone why should you be scared to leave your own home you cant walk down the street without seeing beggers big
issue sellers and where I live drug dealers selling there stuff in clear view and police do nothing about it also I am a gay man and dont feel save in Brighton now I have voted Labour since I was 18
and now am 50 tell me why I should vote Labour again.