The MP for Wokingham has made asking tough questions about building a new hospital for the Reading area a top priority in his first week in parliament.

Clive Jones, who was elected Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham in the general election, has entered parliament for the first time since being elected.

It is the first Labour government since 2010, with Labour winning 412 seats, beating out the Conservatives who won 121 seats but lost 251.

Mr Jones' party the Liberal Democrats, won 72 seats, the best result for the Lib Dems in the party's 36-year history.

Speaking about his experience in Parliament, Mr Jones said: "We've been here since Sunday because there's just so much to learn about, such as security and procedures.

"The House of Commons staff are absolutely brilliant and the Palace of Westminster staff are very helpful.

"It's been really great going to the chamber for the first time to elect a new speaker."

Sir Lindsay Hoyle was re-elected speaker of the House of Commons in the first week of the new Parliament.

Mr Jones swore on the King James Bible at a ceremony on Tuesday, July 10.

He has become the MP after being a councillor on Wokingham Borough Council for eight years, first being elected as a representative for Hawkedon ward in Lower Earley in 2016.

Mr Jones became leader of the council in the 2022/23 municipal year, but stepped down from the leadership position in 2023 and from the council as a whole to focus on campaigning to become an MP.

He said: "We had just 20 days before Rishi Sunak called the general election, and we had a good win, and I'm just so grateful to the nearly 26,000 people who voted for me in Wokingham."

Mr Jones won the general election with 25,743 votes, a majority of 8,345 over Lucy Demery, the Conservative candidate who received 17,398 votes.

His first priority is a push for a new Royal Berkshire Hospital, with Mr Jones making contacting Wes Streeting, the Labour MP for Ilford North and secretary of state for health.

Mr Jones said: "I've sent a letter to Mr Streeting saying that the last government reneged on their promises to build a new Royal Berkshire Hospital, and just a few weeks ago they said the new hospital would be delayed to 2036/37 at the earliest.

"They also said it won't start being built until 2031. It will take 10 years, so 2040 to build a new hospital.

"I've asked him what we can do to bring it forward because we need it.

"I've also asked what he's going to do to make the building fit for purpose.

"We can't wait for 2036/37, and is he going to properly fund the new hospital programme, as the previous government allocated half of the money."

Mr Jones claimed that the previous Conservative government had allocated £20 billion, which he says was enough to pay for 20 hospitals.

Finally, he said he would be lobbying for the new hospital alongside other MPs from the area, including the Labour MPs for Earley and Woodley and Bracknell, and his fellow Liberal Democrats for Maidenhead, Newbury, Henley and Thame and North East Hampshire.