In response to an End Game column, Karen Chilver explains why Marcus Chown did not vote for NHA

Re: your End Game article “If your name’s Chown, you’re not coming in” published on 9 September

Please stop trying to malign people who fight for patients, healthcare professionals, and a publicly funded, publicly owned NHS. International comparisons consistently show the NHS to be among the best models.

Marcus Chown was barred for “not sharing Labour Party values”, despite having voted for them in every election. Surely the leadership contest is for the party to debate what kind of party it wants to be in future?

‘There was no NHA candidate in his constituency, so there wasn’t the option of him voting for the party’

To disagree with its health policy, based on evidence, doesn’t mean you don’t share the Labour Party’s other values and founding principles.

Clive Peedell, National Health Action Party co-leader, checked Marcus’ statement before it was posted. NHA is not yet a party of power, but it’s popularity is growing, and it has achieved more in less than three years than any other party in UK political history. This is because most people agree with the research that the NHS is consistently one of the fairest, most efficient and cost effective healthcare systems in the world. So it is best for patients and staff.

Marcus is not on the NHA executive, as he and Dr Peedell also confirmed. He is one of several people who contribute to its Twitter feed. There was no NHA candidate in Marcus’ constituency, so there wasn’t even the option of him voting for the NHA.

Marcus is a good person, and a campaigner for what is right and evidence based. Please do your research properly and check your facts before attacking him.

Karen Chilver is a community palliative care clinical nurse specialist (and Marcus’ wife, so if I can still say he is admirable after 20 years of marriage, then it’s definitely true!)

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