“THIS IS our best opportunity” – those were the words of the Labour prospective parliamentary candidate for Basingstoke, Dr Paul Harvey as he officially launched his campaign this morning.

Around 50 Labour supporters and members of the public gathered at the Eastrop fountains this morning to hear Dr Harvey make a passionate speech about how he plans to support Basingstoke if he is elected as the town’s next MP next May.

As part of his campaign launch, the 40-year-old invited John Denham, the Labour MP for Southampton, Itchen to meet with the chief executive of Basingstoke hospital, Mary Edwards to discuss plans for the new critical care hospital which will be located in North Waltham.

And Dr Harvey was upbeat about his chances at the launch, telling The Gazette: “This is the best opportunity Labour party and our supporters have had to get a Labour MP in Basingstoke.

“We are within one per cent of Maria Miller (based on the May 2014 local election results) and I am the only candidate that can beat Maria Miller. I have got six months to campaign to win the trust of people, the confidence of people to be their MP in May.

“Basingstoke deserves a strong constituency Member of Parliament and Maria Miller has broken her contract and they (Basingstoke residents) deserve better.”

The 40-year-old added: “I live here and I am proud to live here, and I want to represent the people of the town in the way they deserve and it is about affordable housing that they can truly afford.

“It is about protecting the NHS. It is about dealing with inequalities in the town and it is about making sure that local businesses feel confident in terms of having an MP that will represent both big and small businesses.

“I am going to open up an office in the town centre so people can come off the street and get hold of their MP. I want to be here and do the job in Westminster that people select me to do but work here.

“I know what people go through, trying to afford a home and keep a roof over their heads, holding down jobs and dealing with life issues that are thrown at you, and you need an MP who is in touch and cares and I am willing to do the hard work required.”

Healthcare provision remains at the core of what Dr Harvey wants to achieve in Basingstoke and he has pledged his support to the new critical care hospital that will be based in North Waltham.

He said: “I am very supportive of the hospital but we need to deal with transport issues and access issues and we have to deal with the important message that the North Hants hospital will remain open and deliver a service. But, the new hospital is one you will go to if you are in an ambulance and if you are in a crisis.

“It is designed by our local NHS, clinician led, and it is going to be amazing and very special for the town.

“Cancer care is very important and I am passionate about cancer care. I personally, with family, understand the issue and the cancer centre will help people who won’t have to travel far to be treated locally and that is very important.”