This morning a High Court judge ruled that Jeremy Hunt's plans to downgrade maternity and A&E services at Lewisham Hospital were unlawful.

Mr Justice Silber said the Secretary of State had breached provisions of the National Health Services Act 2006.

The High Court has upheld every argument we made against the use of Trust Special Administrator powers to ruin a successful, popular hospital which meets all its clinical standards.

The Government’s strategy for the NHS in Lewisham has been crushed by this verdict and we will fight to ensure they don’t come back with similar proposals.

This is the greatest victory for a local community campaign I have seen in my political life.

A huge congratulations for everyone who has campaigned so tirelessly to save Lewisham's A&E and maternity services.

This morning I joined Jim Dowd MP (Lewisham West & Penge), Heidi Alexander MP (Lewisham East) and dozens of supporters of the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign outside the High Court to mark the beginning of the legal battle to save Lewisham Hospital's A&E and maternity services.  

I am feeling optimistic about our legal case because I think the only person in the country who isn't against this complete travesty is the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt MP.  If there is any justice we should win the case.

I have never known a campaign of this size, with the public, GPs, hospital workers and Lewisham Council united in their fight. 

Two separate reviews - one instigated by Lewisham Council and the other by the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign - will run concurrently.

The council's principle argument is that the powers of former TSA Matthew Kershaw over South London Healthcare Trust did not extend to Lewisham, so his recommendations are unlawful.

If this first argument fails, the council will also back Save Lewisham Hospital's claim that the TSA and Jeremy Hunt did not meet the criteria of four tests required for the reconfiguration of NHS services.

The hearing is set to run until Thursday and a decision is expected a couple of weeks later.