The National Health Action party will field a former GP as a candidate in the Eastleigh by-election following the resignation of leading Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne.
The NHA Party, formed by doctors last year, has endorsed Dr Iain Maclennan as its candidate to contend for the empty MP seat, after recruiting him from the Green Party.
The 54-year old doctor, resident in Eastleigh, has recently retired from a role as a public health consultant for Hampshire PCT after previously serving as a GP, as well as a medical officer in the Royal Navy.
The NHA Party, whose founding members includes BMA Council member and South London GP Dr Louise Irvine, was set up to battle the Government’s NHS reforms, the aim of which, it says, is to break up the NHS and sell off fragments for private profit.
Dr Maclennan said: ‘If I am elected, I will be a champion for the constant improvement of the NHS. I will work to publicise all the perks and allowances that MPs get and promote better-value alternatives.
‘And I give a commitment to debate major issues in the local media, public meetings and social media before voting rather than blindly following a mainstream party whip.’
Party co-leader Dr Richard Taylor commented: ‘The voters of Eastleigh now have a genuine choice - between the sleazy politics of the mainstream parties once again jockeying for position, parties which between them have set the NHS on a course for fragmentation, divisive competition, privatisation and continuing cutbacks: or a new party which rejects this approach and offers a commitment to restore, defend and improve the NHS and public services.’
