Julie Bailey death comment on video condemned

A Labour Party video in which hope was expressed that leading Stafford Hospital campaigner Julie Bailey would die was today condemned as "totally unacceptable" – as a Staffordshire MP said he was considering taking up the matter with police.

Julie Bailey has been highlighting problems at Stafford Hospital with the campaign group Cure the NHS.

But she has received messages blaming her for the overnight closure of its A&E for the three months stating from December 1.

Stone MP Bill Cash said he was considering asking the police if the posting of the video and its contents amounted to any criminal behaviour.

Stafford Borough Council leader Councillor Mike Heenan today said "My response to this is that you don't shoot the messenger.

"Julie was the messenger and what she did in bringing this to everybody's attention has been very valuable.

"It doesn't matter what arguments you have in politics or life in general, there's no place for this sort of language and death threats. It is totally unacceptable. We want a hospital to continue in Stafford but it must be safe and that's Julie's point."

Staffordshire Police today said they had not yet received a complaint from Miss Bailey regarding the issue.

The Labour Party member who posted the video has since removed it and apologised for any offence caused.

Ms Bailey said she was receiving hate messages blaming her for the overnight closure of its A&E unit.

She said she had started to receive phone calls as well as abusive emails.

Labour activist Rolfe Pearce, who posted the video, said comments in the footage had been "tongue in cheek".

The video showed people signing a petition. Speaking on the video a man says his wife had said that she hoped Ms Bailey had to go to A&E in Stoke-on-Trent and died on the way.