Action to Save St. John's Hospital
Action to Save St. John's Hospital | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Ashok Joseph Jacob |
| Founder | Ernie Walker |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Dissolved | 2021 |
| Headquarters | 19 Wilton Road, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH16 5NX |
| Ideology | Single-issue[1][2] |
| West Lothian Council | 3 / 32 (2007–2012)[3]
|
All uncited information above is from the Electoral Commission.[4] | |
Action to Save St. John's Hospital was a single-issue political party operating in West Lothian which contested the local council elections in 2007 and 2012. Their sole focus was campaigning against the planned removal of the 24-hour emergency department, paediatric and maternity services from St John's Hospital in Livingston.[1][2][5]
Electoral Performance
The party fielded candidates in six out of nine multi-member wards in the 2007 West Lothian Council election, winning three out of the 32 seats on the council to become the third-largest party behind the SNP and Labour. However, they received fewer overall votes than the Conservatives with 3,997 votes versus the Conservatives' 6,142.[3]
The party's three successful candidates were Ellen Glass in Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh with 14.2% of first-preference votes (FPV), Gordon Beurskens in Whitburn and Blackburn (11.7% FPV), and John Cochrane in Livingston North (9.9% FPV).[3][6]
Following the election, the party entered into a coalition administration with the SNP and Conservatives, taking control of West Lothian council from Labour, ending 12 years of Labour majority administration since the councils establishment in 1995.[7][8]
In the 2012 West Lothian Council election, the party stood candidates in every ward except Armadale and Blackridge. The party saw a 0.6% increase in council-wide vote share. Despite this, they lost all three of their seats. The party vowed to continue their campaign despite the results.[9]
The party did not contest the 2017 West Lothian Council election or any council by-elections and officially deregistered in 2021, ahead of the 2022 West Lothian Council election.[4][10][11]
Dissolution
The party voluntarily deregistered on 8 August 2021.[4]
See Also
References
- 1 2 "2007 Scottish Local Elections". electoral-reform.org.uk. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- 1 2 "Ernest Walker". The Herald. 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- 1 2 3 "Local Elections Archive Project - 2007 - West Lothian". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- 1 2 3 "Registration Summary of Action To Save St.John's Hospital". Electoral Commission (UK). Retrieved 8 August 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Motion to West Lothian Council 17th. April, 2012". westlothian.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "The Herald Election Site: Results 2007: Ward by Ward". election.theherald.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2007-06-14. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ "2007 Scottish Local Elections". electoral-reform.org.uk. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ Eunson, Liam (2025-10-10). "Labour takes aim at opposition group over vote in West Lothian". Midlothian View. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ "Hospital party vows to go on". The Scotsman. 2012-05-11. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ "Open Council Data UK - West Lothian Council Composition 2017". opencouncildata.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2017 - West Lothian". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 2026-08-08.