BANBURY MP TONY Baldry claims he was banned from joining Conservative leader David Cameron on a tour of the town's Horton Hospital.

Mr Baldry alleged the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust refused to allow him in to speak to staff and members of the public over proposed cuts to maternity and children's services at the Horton.

The trust, which also runs the John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals in Oxford, insisted it had not had any direct contact with Mr Baldry on the matter.

But Mr Baldry claimed that the ban was issued by email to Mr Cameron's office and was a condition of the Tory leader being allowed to visit the Horton.

The row comes weeks after Mr Baldry likened the trust to an Eastern European regime before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Mr Baldry said: "It was made clear by the trust that Mr Cameron would be able to visit, but on condition that I was not with him."

A spokesman for the trust said: "The trust was asked on Wednesday evening to host a visit by David Cameron MP to the Horton Hospital. It was happy to agree.

"Neither the trust nor (chief executive) Trevor Campbell Davis had any contact whatsoever with Tony Baldry regarding the visit."

But Mr Baldry said: "My ban was issued to Mr Cameron's office and there are emails confirming that.

"At first the trust refused to let Mr Cameron visit, but then relented and agreed on condition that I was not there. The reason given was that I 'had overstepped the mark'.

When presented with this version of events, the trust spokesman said: "We stand by our original statement. We agreed to the visit by Mr Cameron but at no time did we have contact with Mr Baldry."

The ORH Trust is planning to cut obstetric care and paediatrics at the Horton.

The plan has been referred to Health Secretary Alan Johnson by the Oxfordshire health overview and scrutiny committee - the county's NHS watchdog - which fears the cuts are not in the best interests of patients in north Oxfordshire The final decision about the proposals is now in the hands of Mr Johnson, who is expected to refer the matter to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel made up of clinical experts.

A final decision is not expected until November.

Mr Baldry, who is a leading member of the local campaign against the proposed cuts, continued: "As to my being banned, I would say that not allowing me, as the local MP, to visit the Horton is a snub to everyone living in north Oxfordshire.

"I have never heard of an MP being banned from visiting a hospital in his constituency.

"I frequently have members of staff at the Horton coming to see me to express concerns at what is happening at the Horton.

"Invariably they tell me that they are concerned about speaking out in public for fear of reprisals.

"When the trust treats the local MP like this, one can understand the concerns of staff."

Mr Baldry said: "I have written to trust chairman Sir William Stubbs about the matter.

"I have also written to Mr Johnson asking if I should get permission from his office when I want to visit my local hospital."