A former Lib Dem activist and local party chairman has defected to the newly formed National Health Action Party as the Eastleigh by-election battle heats up.

Dr Graham Winyard, who was also the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and Wales, accused politicians of all parties of betraying the NHS and said the mid-Staffs scandal was the direct result of meddling and bullying by both Labour and Tory governments.

Dr Winyard , who is the ex-Chair of Winchester and Chandlers Ford Liberal Democrats, is calling on the constituents of neighbouring Eastleigh to vote for the candidate representing the National Health Action Party in the by-election at the end of the month.

The NHA Party announced their Eastleigh candidate on Friday - local doctor and former Navy medical officer Iain Maclennan. The NHA party was founded in November by a group of healthcare professionals to safeguard and improve the NHS.

Dr Graham Winyard: " The voters of Eastleigh have a unique chance to demand a return to the original values of the NHS by voting for the National Health Action party."