Milton Keynes North MP has been dubbed “Calamity Chris” after u-turning on his position for the new Women’s and Children Hospital in Milton Keynes.
Chris Curtis MP is claimed to have made a huge u-turn on his position on the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Milton Keynes.
These new claims have hit the MP following a re-surfaced clip from his maiden speech in Parliament earlier this year. Curtis praises the work of former MP Ben Everitt to see the delivery of the new hospital.
During the General Election this Summer all three local MPs promised Labour would build the new hospital if they won the election.
Yet, just months after this promise and weeks after his high praise of predecessor Ben Everitt’s work to deliver the hospital, Chris has lashed out stating no such plans for the delivery of the hospital ever existed.
Despite funding as part of the New Hospital Programme being officially recognised by the government in July this year, local MPs Chris Curtis and Emily Darlington and continuing to claim the contrary.
During the last Conservative Government, the 40 Hospitals scheme was revised twice with almost all funding allocations increased.
Commenting on the u-turn, Ben Everitt said:
“It’s so frustrating seeing Labour spinning away on this, instead of just cracking on and getting on with it.”
“From the Treasury’s perspective, they earmark the cash up to the end of the spending review period, which allows money to be drawn down as business cases for individual parts of the project are approved. This is standard procedure for major infrastructure projects. And this is what has been happening with the MK Hospital project.
“It would of course never be the case of handing over the whole fund at the start of the project as it is impossible to predict what the true cost of a project will be 5-10 years out from completion. Plus spending reviews are designed not to tie future governments.
“During my time as the MP I was able to deliver all the work needed so that whoever won the election could just get on and build it. And in July this year the Hospital Trust itself announced the Government had recognised the funding needed to see the hospital built.”
Leader of MK Conservatives Shazna Muzammil said:
“What we really need is for our Labour MPs to step up and push the Chancellor to release the funding we need for the hospital in Milton Keynes.
They've handed out an astonishing £10 billion in inflation-busting pay rises to public sector workers, including train drivers, while our residents are still waiting for the healthcare facilities they deserve.
The rapid growth within Milton Keynes and the development of new cities in and around Milton Keynes, means the demand for this hospital has never been more critical.
And with the Winter fuel payment also being taken away, it feels like the residents' well-being is constantly pushed to the bottom of pile by our local Labour MPs, and I urge them to fight and put the health and well-being of our residents here in Milton Keynes first.”
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