New MP seeks urgent meeting about hospital plan

The newly-elected Kettering MP met staff at Kettering General earlier this month

A new MP has called for an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State for Health about the future of a hospital rebuilding project.

The Kettering General Hospital scheme was one of 40 promised by the previous government.

The Chancellor is reviewing all 40 projects as she tries to deal with what she described as a £22bn hole in the nation's finances.

Rosie Wrighting, elected as Labour MP for Kettering earlier this month, said the Conservative government's hospital rebuild plan was "undeliverable and unaffordable".

The rebuild of Kettering General Hospital was one of the 40 "new" hospital schemes announced by the last government in 2020.

The government allocated £315m to fund the hospital works, on top of £49m for a new A&E department.

Kettering General Hospital was opened in 1897 and needs modernisation

In a statement on social media, Rosie Wrighting said: "The Conservative government promised to rebuild Kettering General Hospital, a promise that was both undeliverable and unaffordable, and they did not provide the funding for.

"This is one of many unfunded promises that they made to the British people but knew they wouldn’t be able to deliver. They lied to local people about our NHS."

She added that a review had been announced by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, which would provide a realistic timescale for the hospital projects and would not "lead us up the garden path only to let us down, like the Conservatives did".

Rosie Wrighting wants a meeting with Wes Streeting (left) to discuss the rebuild project

She said she would "seek a meeting with the health secretary, Wes Streeting, to urgently discuss the hospital's future plans".

Her predecessor as Kettering MP, Philip Hollobone, said: "When, during the election campaign, I warned that Labour would shelve the KGH rebuild plans for a review at best and cancellation at worst, Rachel Reeves herself said (whilst in Kettering) that I was talking ‘rubbish’.

"Local residents can now clearly see who was speaking the truth and who was not.

"In just 25 days from the election, Labour have made a screeching U-turn and placed the whole project in doubt."

The previous Conservative MP for Kettering, Philip Hollobone, said Labour had "made a screeching u-turn"

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "The previous government’s commitment to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 is undeliverable and unaffordable.

"We are therefore launching a full review of the programme to provide a thorough, costed and realistic timeline for delivery and to ensure we can replace the crumbling hospital estate in England.

"This government is determined to be honest with people about what can be delivered, and not let them down again."