Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith joins calls to government for motor neurone disease funding

Brendan Clarke-Smith spoke with former Rugby League player Rob Burrow and ex-footballer Stephen Darby on the final stage of their journey to Downing Street to deliver a letter on behalf of hundreds of people who are living with MND.

The letter, which was sent on its way by former rugby player Doddie Weir, was signed virtually by people across the country and urged the Government to invest £50million into targeted MND research.

The call comes from a coalition of MND charities – the MND Association, MND Scotland and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Mr Clarke-Smith met representatives of the charities at a reception at Westminster before the letter continued its journey to Number 10.

It was handed in by a delegation including Rob, Stephen, former West Midlands Police Assistant Chief Constable Chris Johnson, and Nicola Waters, a leading figure in the campaigning coalition.

The letter stated: “MND is a death sentence. We will all die of the disease because there are no treatments to help us.

“However, research has now reached a point where a cure or life-saving treatments can be found.

“The current piecemeal and protracted approach of funding individual projects will not deliver the life-saving treatments we need.

“We urgently appeal for action and investment now.”

Mr Clarke-Smith said: "It was a pleasure to welcome everybody to Westminster and to have the opportunity to say thank you for the amazing fundraising and campaigning work being done to support those with Motor Neurone Disease.

“As vice chair of the all-party parliamentary group on MND I am fully supportive of efforts to secure the backing that will help fund research into curing this cruel disease".

For more information about the campaign visit www.mndassociation.org/unitedtoendMND