New Crewe and Nantwich MP Connor Naismith has raised concerns about the future of Leighton Hospital after the Chancellor’s announcement this week.
Rachel Reeves said on Monday that a number of Tory projects would have to be shelved due to what she called a £20 billion budget blackhole.
And that included a pause on the New Hospitals Programme that the former Conservative Government had pledged would be delivered.
Leighton Hospital had been earmarked to benefit as it was built more than 50 years ago using the controversial “reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete” (RAAC) which has a shelf life of 30 years.
Mr Naismith and two other new Cheshire MPs Andrew Cooper (Mid Cheshire) and Sarah Russell (Congleton) have written a joint letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling for talks.
They said: “Following the Chancellor’s announcement we write in relation to Leighton Hospital, which serves our constituents.
“Leighton Hospital was constructed using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, which has a lifespan of 30 years.
“The hospital was constructed 50 years ago, so parts of the building are significantly past their lifespan.
“The situation has led to fears that parts of the hospital could collapse if action is not taken.
“News that the previous Government made spending commitments to fund the rebuild which were not budgeted for is extremely alarming.
“We therefore request a meeting to discuss how this will affect the future of our local hospital.”
The NHS Federation also issued a statement this week on the issue.
They said: ““For the government to be able to deliver on their key pledge to drive down waiting lists and ensure the NHS is fit for the future, the pause to the delivery of the new hospitals programme must be as short as possible and NHS leaders need clarity about timelines.”
There is no £22bn “gap” – spending billions on inflated public sector pay is a choice, spending billions arming Ukraine more is a choice the OBR had all the figures, the Treasury had all the figures. As the official opposition Labour had full access to everything pre election- the only gap is the gap they have chosen to create. Like Rishi said time after time, Labour’s numbers don’t add up without eye watering tax rises or swinging cuts (didn’t he keep saying £2000 per person worth of tax rises???). Labour and Naismith in particular criticised cancelling HS2 – not reversing it a few months later, now they come after our new hospital! Almost as though Rishi was right (just like he was about Liz Truss???)
Watching these lefties who voted and supported Labour deal with the fall out of their own actions is comical.
Guess it’s who you believe least, the fiscal damage done by the Tories or Labour being less than truthful.
Well apparently a lot of people voted for change, well here is the start of the harsh reality of that.
Higher taxes are on the way,the fuel allowance for pensioners has already been scrapped for most,labour are going to be very expensive for the tax payers.
Labour not long in office and already hitting people hard and blaming Tory government for not following through on what it had earmarked, sighting shortfall in cash. Always was going to be the status quo. Just doesn’t make sense Labour wanting more nurses and doctors and quality of those, yet there isn’t a sufficient hospital infrastructure in place. Should keep hospital rebuild pledges and not do away with them.
What assurances, seems clear that the decision has been made and the build will not go ahead. Given £22bn gap in revenues it’s perhaps understandable.