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GP receives cross-party support in bid to unseat Jeremy Hunt as MP

Lewisham GP Dr Louise Irvine is intending to repeat her bid to oust health secretary Jeremy Hunt from his MP seat in the upcoming election.

Dr Irvine, who is also a member of the BMA Council, has been selected as the South West Surrey constituency candidate for the National Health Action Party, with backing from several rival political parties.

The Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats both agreed to support Dr Irvine on the campaign trail, while the Green Party is withdrawing their candidate altogether.

The attempt comes despite Dr Irvine receiving only 4,851 votes against Mr Hunt’s 34,199 when she challenged him in the 2015 general election.

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The NHA Party said in a statement: ‘This alliance will send a strong message to Theresa May – the one thing that will bring people together is an attack on the NHS. Jeremy Hunt losing his seat will be the proof of that.’

It comes as the Green Party has also named a GP election candidate, with Dr Diana Warner attempting to become the new MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke.

Like Dr Irvine, the locum GP, who works in the Bristol area, is campaigning on health issues. 

She told Pulse: ‘As a GP I think we need to be politically active to improve health, including the wider determinants of health.

‘I want to speak out, even though I’m in a fairly Conservative area.’