Gordon Birtwistle, the Lib Dem MP for Burnley since May, has built a career on campaigning to reinstate A&E to Burnley General Hospital.

The Department closed in November 2007 when A&E provision for over 500,000 people in East Lancashire was centralised in Blackburn.

Birtwistle dismissed the Urgent Care Centre that replaced the A&E as a “first aid post”.

He stood alongside the hapless Lib Dem candidate for Pendle, Afzal Anwar, who bizarrely chained himself to the railings outside the hospital for ten hours during the election campaign in a forlorn bid to get the A&E re-opened.

And Birtwistle boasted to fellow MPs in a debate in Westminster Hall last month on accident and emergency services:

“I have stood behind a campaign table outside Marks and Spencer every Saturday morning for more than 107 weeks.”

Phew! We are getting into Guinness Book of Records territory here.

But now, surely, he is in a position to do something about it?

After all, Birtwistle and his friend next door in Pendle, Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson, both got elected in May on the back of explicit promises to reinstate A&E at Burnley. No ifs or buts.

Ian Woolley, a highly respected former chair of the old Blackburn Health Authority for over 20 years, and my old friend, Peter Pike, former MP for Burnley, have been pressing for action for ages.

Are we going to get the A&E back? And if not now, then when?

Back in April, this is what Andrew Stephenson had to say in front of a packed audience in Christ Church in Carr Road, Nelson:

“I agree with quite a lot of what has been said particularly Afzal saying we need public agreement on this. We had public agreement two years ago when the A&E Department was closed down. Everyone was against it then and all the political parties were against it then. The question is: How do we go forward from here onwards?”

“As the Conservative candidate I have worked very closely with Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, who, if there is a Conservative Government, David Cameron has said he would become the Health Secretary.”

“Andrew Lansley has made several visits to the East Lancashire area. He actually is back here tomorrow to do some further visits with myself.”

“Andrew Lansley takes the opinion that the A&E Department should not have been closed down. He believes it should re-open and he is keen to work with a Member of Parliament to get it re-opened.”

“In contrast, Andy Burnham, the Labour Health Secretary, said, and I quote, “I can stand by making tough decisions. I can say this is working.”

“The Labour Party have no intent at a national level for Burnley to get an A&E Department back. And no matter how much Gordon may stamp his feet or shout about it.”

“Pendle needs an MP who will work with the Government to get the A&E Department back.”

“On the final point about local health service changes. The next move from Burnley to Blackburn is, of course, the Deerplay Children’s Ward that is due to move in October. The Conservative Party is pledged, if we win the general election, to have a moratorium on all A&E closures and all maternity unit closures.”

“In consultation with Andrew Lansley I have ensured that Burnley Children’s ward is included in that moratorium. So if we get a Conservative Government you have my word that the Children’s Ward closure – there will be an instant halt whilst we review the situation and with consultation with local health service professionals and look at the whole set up of the health service in East Lancashire.”

Seems to me there is not a lot of wriggle room there.