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Marsha Singh MP to quit Parliament

March 1, 2012 7:38 am

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Sad news today, as Marsha Singh MP has announced that he will be quitting Parliament due to ill health – triggering a by-election in his Bradford West constituency. Singh has been absent for the last 8 months after becoming seriously ill in July last year. Although he had hoped to return to work, he has now taken the decision to concentrate on his recovery. Speaking to local paper the Telegraph and Argus, Singh said:

“My main priority is to regain full health or as much of my health as possible,” he said, speaking exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus yesterday.

“I have been increasingly ill over a period of time last year and had a very serious illness and was admitted to hospital. I thought I had overcome that, but obviously that wasn’t the case and I have been back into hospital both in London and here.

“It was maybe wishful thinking on my part but I thought I would recover quickly and get back to work, until eventually with medical advice it became clear that it was going to take a lot longer to recover, if I ever fully do.

“I haven’t ruled out work completely for the future once I get out of the kind of critical stages of my illness. I have come to a very painful conclusion to announce my retirement because I’m in the job to serve my constituents and, if I can’t do that I don’t deserve to be paid for the job. They don’t deserve that and I can’t let them down.

“More than that it is a very serious politicial time at the moment with spending on schools being slashed and health which is going to be privatised.”

Responding to the new Ed Miliband said:

“I want to pay tribute to Marsha and his tireless work for the people of Bradford West. He is a man who entered politics for all the right reasons – to make a positive difference to people’s lives and to stand up for social justice in the community where he grew up. He will be missed greatly by his parliamentary colleagues.

“He is doing the right thing by listening to the doctors – his priority now has to be to concentrate on regaining his health – and I wish him all the best on his long road to recovery.”

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  • Dave Postles

    Very best wishes to him for his recovery.  He’s taking the honourable action – well done and thank you for all your previous work.

    • treborc

       Yes I agree.

      • AlanGiles

        I hope too that he makes as complete a recovery as possible. It is terrible when illness curtails a career that you have enjoyed. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=532923572 Líam Pennington

    A real shame and well done to Marsha for fighting his illness and working through it. 

    • treborc

      He’s leaving because he could not work through it, he’s been off for seven months.

      why not just say  Marsha best wishes for the future hope you get well soon.

      Nope we have to have this stupid remark about working.

  • treborc

     Sad news to day that PC Rathband has died today, so disappointing, very brave man.

    RIP…..

  • Davecargill

    I don’t know Marsha, but it is always sad to hear such misfortune falling on a comrade. 
    My best wishes to you Marsha please remain optimistic.

    Dave Cargill   

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