A PARTY set up to fight the Government’s changes to the health service is to field a candidate in the Eastleigh by-election.

The National Health Action (NHA) party will announce its candidate today..

The NHA, formed by frontline healthcare professionals, said it was a response to the coalition Government’s reforms and drastic cutbacks to the NHS.

It said it aims to fight back against political sleaze, defend the NHS and public services from commercialisation and privatisation and campaign for a fairer, healthier and more just society.

The party added that this will be a first electoral test for the Government’s Health and Social Care Act.

Party co-chairman Richard Taylor, who twice won the Wyre Forest constituency as an independent, said: “We are open to all who share our concerns, and we will call on the people of Eastleigh to support us and take a united stand against a political class that has put its own narrow self-interests before the ordinary citizens of this country.”