Keep the hospital out of the Worthing election

Mike Brayshaw, of Upper Brighton Road, Broadwater, said: "My ballot paper (received early as a postal vote) shows Kevin Skepper, a candidate in Broadwater ward, as 'Conservatives: Stop The Hospital Cuts'.

"I see one of the strengths of the hospital campaign as its cross-party nature, and I think it reprehensible that any candidate should attempt to gain party advantage by implying otherwise.

"The campaign is a united front, and I trust it can remain so," said Mr Brayshaw.

Worthing Borough Council leader Keith Mercer, who is seeking re-election in Marine ward under the same label, told the Herald: "It is a non-party matter as far as we are concerned.

"All we are doing is that we are indicating we are very much against any hospital cuts, and anybody is entitled to do that.

"I am making clear to people that I oppose any hospital cuts, and they are entitled to know that."

A CHUCKLE in the opposition camps was caused by early editions of Selden Lib Dems' borough council elections newsletter.

Its front-page splash urges voters to back former mayor James Doyle on May 4 '“ a day after the election date.

A Tory source told the Herald: "We ask voters to back our candidate on May 3, and then vote for James Doyle on May 4!"

Mr Doyle said on Tuesday that, originally, the correct copy did not go to the printers.

"By the time the error was spotted, many newsletters had been distributed.

"But it was corrected in time for the rest of the copies," he said.