News Release

6th July 2007

MICHAEL FABRICANT MEETS STAFFORDSHIRE RAGE DEMONSTRATORS OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT

Michael Fabricant met Staffordshire RAGE demonstrators outside the House of Commons on Parliament Square immediately following Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday 4th July.

Michael Fabricant says: "I wish that Gordon Brown could have seen and spoken to these demonstrators. I think he would be ashamed what the Labour controlled County Council is doing in his name."

Over a hundred relatives, residents and service users from all over Staffordshire travelled to the Houses of Parliament to stage a protest outside at 12:00 pm on July 4th.. Under the RAGE Staffordshire banner and representing over 700 service users, both the elderly and those with learning difficulties, protested against Staffordshire County Council's "Changing Lives" (nicknamed "Ending Lives") policy which sees the closure of 22 Residential Care Homes and 15 Day Centres for the elderly originally anticipated March 2008 and 12 Day Centres for those with Learning Difficulties in March 2009. The protestors were also in the Court to hear their legal challenge in the Court of Appeal. Two petitions were presented at No.10 Downing Street by service users and relatives, representing a care home and day centre in Burton-on-Trent and another one in the Leek/Cheadle area of Staffordshire.