Labour: Lewisham plans are 'dangerous'

"When we were in Government we did close some A&Es because sometimes it makes sense to do that, you can save more lives by centralising services on one particular site, every locality cannot necessarily sustain an A&E," he said.

"However what is different about Lewisham is that this A&E is being closed purely on cost grounds.

"To solve financial problems in one trust, the Government are saying they are going to take away the successful A&E department of another. That is taking the NHS into completely new ground.

"I think it is dangerous to do that, given the pressure that we seeing on A&E in London and right across the country."