Roundup of what 38 Degrees members have done to scrap the Hospital Closure Clause

MPs are set to vote on the crucial amendment which would scrap the Hospital Closure Clause and replace the clause with new wording at 6pm this evening.  The vote is on a knife’s edge and the media are reporting a growing rebellion from coalition MPs.

In the meantime, here’s a quick roundup of what 38 Degrees members have done to get us this far:

Nov 2013: 38 Degrees member, GP and chair of the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign, Louise Irvine, launches a petition on Campaigns By You calling on Jeremy Hunt to axe the Hospital Closure Clause. It gets over 100,000 signatures in a couple of days.

23rd Feb 2014: 38 Degrees members vote overwhelmingly to launch a massive campaign to stop the Hospital Closure Clause.

26th Feb 2014: The huge people powered petition to scrap the Hospital closure clause is launched, it gathers 100,000 signatures in less than 24 hours!

27th Feb 2014: Campaigners gather outside Downing Street to hand in Campaigns By You petition.

March 1st 2014: 38 Degrees members and local hospital campaigners meet their local Lib Dem MP and ex health minister, Paul Burstow. They leave him in no doubt that they want him to do everything in their power to scrap the hospital closure clause. To find out more about what happened in the meeting click here. 

March 3rd 2014: Award winning filmmakers worked at break-neck speed to pull together a hard-hitting video about the hospital closure clause. The video was paid for by donations from 38 Degrees members. Thousands of people shared it and watched it. The aim was to show just why Jeremy Hunt’s plans needed to be stopped.

Here’s the link to the video.

March 4th 2014: The lawyers who represented the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign drafted amendments to Clause 119, paid for by donations from 38 Degrees members, which Paul Burstow MP tables.

March 7th 2014: Tens of thousands of 38 Degrees members email their MPs asking them to support the Burstow amendment.

March 7th: Local hospital campaigners across the country got in touch with their MPs and local press about the hospital closure clause to ramp up the pressure locally. Special mention to REACH and Save the Alex campaign, who even made the Today programme.

March 10th 2014: Thousands of 38 Degrees members phone their MPs asking them to support the Paul Burstow amendments.

March 10th 2014: Our massive people powered petition is handed in to Paul Burstow MP, who presents it at the debate.

March 11th 2014:  Thousands of 38 Degrees members tweet their MPs asking them to support the Burstow papers.