THE new hospital and securing £20m in levelling up funding for projects in the Dean area are among ex-Forest MP Mark Harper’s proudest achievements, he says.
As well as serving Forest residents, the hospital in Cinderford now has the nearest minor injuries unit for people living in Ross and Monmouth.
![Mark Harper makes a speech after the result was declared.](https://www.theforester.co.uk/tindle-static/image/2024/07/09/8/56/General_Election_9635.jpg?width=669&height=445&crop=669:445)
The Conservative former Transport Secretary, who had represented the Dean for 19 years, lost the seat to Labour’s Matt Bishop, a Cinderford District Councillor, by just 278 votes.
He said it had been a great honour to serve the Forest of Dean and it had been a respectful election campaign.
“I am sure he (Mr Bishop) will work tremendously hard to live up to the trust that the people of the Forest have placed in him,” he said.
“We are lucky to live in a country where we can settle our differences through argument and debate, which is not the case for many millions around the world.
“You can make a huge difference as an MP, with two of my proudest achievements over the last few years being the recent opening of the new community hospital in Cinderford and the progress which has been made on the Forest’s £20 million Levelling Up Programme which will deliver improvements in Cinderford Town Centre, leisure facilities at Five Acres and new opportunities for young people at Hartpury University and Hartpury College.
“Now that I am no longer the Member of Parliament, I will be unable to handle any new correspondence.
“If you are a resident who had an ongoing case with my office before the General Election was called, I would encourage you to get in contact with Matt Bishop, who will be able to handle your query as appropriate.”
In the general election, Mr Bishop polled 16,373 against Mr Harper's 16,095.
The turnout was 66 per cent, down from 72 per cent in 2019 when Mr Harper had a majority of 15,869.
Stan Goodin, of right wing challenger party Reform UK was third on 8,194, followed by Chris McFarling, a Cabinet member on the Forest Council, on 4,735, Liberal Democrat James Joyce on 2,604 and Saiham Sidker of Socialist Labour with 90 votes.