Petition: Call to protect plans to build Milton Keynes Women And Children's Hospital

Ben Everitt, former MP for Milton Keynes North, says the city’s new MPs Chris Curtis and Emily Darlington need to’ finish the job’ to build a new Women’s and Children Hospital for Milton Keynes.

Mr Everitt and Iain Stewart, former MP for MK South, secured £250m from the previous Government to build the new hospital by 2030.

But they say the project has been put at risk by Labour with the new Government putting a halt to the plans, and funding now uncertain.

Posting on Facebook, Mr Everitt said: “Over the four and a half years as your MP I worked tirelessly with Iain Stewart to see the development of a new hospital in MK. It’s a personal regret I was not able to see the building of the hospital; with a pandemic, global events and an early election, timing was not on my side to see this completed. And completion is now so close.

“I am urging our new MPs to not drop the ball on this. We secured and ring fenced the funding, developed the business case with the Treasury, secured the site for the hospital. Everything but the diggers on site. It’s almost impossible to not see this delivered.

“If you agree with me, show your support by signing this petition on the MK Conservatives website.”

Residents are urged to sign the petition ahead of the Government’s Autumn Budget, ‘which could see the hospital plans put at risk’.

Leader of MK Conservatives, Shazna Muzammil, added: “Labour promised change for the country. But this change is just taking us back to 2008.

“The only change we’ve seen is a return to the Blair/Brown years, pensioners’ money raided by the Government, disorder on the streets, and bank busting pay rises for their union paymasters.

“With all of the ground work on the hospital already completed, I hope our new Labour MPs have the conviction to ensure that we press go on the much needed new hospital. It’s an oven ready plan, and I hope to see diggers on site as soon as possible.

"The new hospital is needed and it will free up space at the current Milton Keynes Hospital.”

Chris Curtis, MP for MK North, said: "Under the previous Tory MPs, Milton Keynes' NHS was neglected and pushed into crisis, with some of the longest waiting times in the country and a chronic shortage of GPs.

“As your MP, fixing this mess is my top priority and I will fight tooth and nail to ensure our new Government does just that.”