YOU can tell we must be approaching an election as the letters page has had a recent flurry of health-related letters from our independent health councillors, the latest being scare stories over the out-of-hours GP service.

Whilst I am sure the issue raised is important, it serves to remind me of the climate of health “fear” which our independents have promoted over the last few elections to try to recreate the public outrage of 2001.

As I’m sure readers will remember, Dr Taylor was elected on a wave of public outrage over the proposed downgrading of our hospital, but we as a society have moved on since then.

Wyre Forest deserves more than the fear which is promoted by some politicians. I believe we need to promote what is good about our area, and about our society, not running it down all of the time.

The District can no longer afford to be an electoral oddity. There are a huge range of issues which affect our District including jobs, education and transport.

The time has passed when we as a district can afford to have a nice retired doctor in his 70s batting for us at Westminster. Now is the time we need strong representation, nothing less than a first class MP and not just an MP who wants to travel first class at our expense.

JOHN CAMPION Leader Wyre Forest District Council