Months have gone by and I was beginning to wonder what has become of our “honourable” MP Virendra Sharma. So much so, I was considering putting out a missing persons advert. Well, thankfully all my worries were cast away after he popped up during Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday! His return to the political scene proved that nothing has changed and that the hapless Sharma is as slippery and woefully inadequate as ever.

It was a shameless attempt to curry favour with the local electorate. Well, it won’t wash with us. Even though he may have a short memory, we don’t. We all know that when the issue of departmental closures at Ealing Hospital came up Sharma was nowhere to be seen. He couldn’t even be bothered to turn up to the hustings held for him by “Save Our Services” –instead, spent his time having a curry at a restaurant just down the road! Now, all of a sudden he’s feigning an interest. Again, it won’t wash.
I am writing this just to set the record straight and sprinkle some truth over the lies that pepper Sharma’s career. Here is the transcript of Sharma’s question with some commentary:

I am sorry for not giving the prior notice to the Prime Minister, but I am confident that, given his reassurance on the NHS, he will be able to answer my question this afternoon.
-Watching Sharma’s opening was like watching a Big Brother winner – he couldn’t have looked more glad to be in the spotlight –his demeanor lacked poise and sincerity. He continued:

Does he agree with me and the Secretary of State for Health that it makes no sense to close Ealing hospital's accident and emergency department, given that 100,000 patients use this service each year?
Note: it is the Conservative Secretary of State he was referring to – the Labour predecessor never gave such assurances. Should Sharma not point this out and congratulate the Tory Secretary of State for being so bold?
Will the Prime Minister also take this opportunity to end rumours of coalition plans to close the entire Ealing hospital?
-What rumours? There are no such rumours unless of course they have been spread by Sharma and his cronies. “Coalition plans”?! Mr Sharma clearly needs a lesson in understanding the facts! All previous plans to cut services including the Stroke services at Ealing Hospital were drawn up under the Labour administration that he represented at the time!

Mr Sharma, it is clear to me that this “unplanned” interjection at PMQs was purely an attempt by you to get your name in the spotlight. There’s no honesty behind it and to be frank, you’re months late. One of the first things the Tory Sec for Health made clear when appointed was that A&E at Ealing would not be closed. My advice to you – please find something of REAL concern to your constituents. Sharma could have done better to point out that only on the previous evening his colleagues at the Ealing council, in these times of austerity, voted en-block against the motion that would have meant a reduction of all councillor’s allowances by 10% and saved Ealing council almost £500,000 over four years. This was made even more despicable as the same Labour councillors rather than supporting a cut of 10% in their allowances voted to close the Albert Day Centre for the disabled in Southall under the pretence to save even an smaller amount of money. So much for Labour’s friendship to the residents of Southall. For further information on Albert Day centre, please visit the following link.

Gurcharan Singh