Lib Dem MP weighs in on new Royal Berkshire Hospital in funding fears

Clive Jones, the Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham, has blasted the previous Conservative government for failing to fund a project for a new Royal Berkshire Hospital.

It comes as Labour Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer has warned that 'painful' decisions to be made in the government budget in October to address a £22 billion gap in finances.

In reaction to an open letter by councillor Pauline Jorgensen, the runner-up Conservative candidate for Earley and Woodley, suggested Labour had lied to the electorate over a pledge to deliver new hospitals if elected.

In her letter, cllr Jorgensen accused Reading Labour MPs of failing to keep their promises to voters.

READ MORE: Clash over Royal Berkshire Hospital as concerns are raised about 'painful' decisions ahead

Mr Jones said: "I was particularly astonished with Pauline Jorgensen's comments saying that they had been lied to.

"Because the Labour Party are putting the hospital project on pause when the reality is the Conservatives were leading the electorate down the garden path saying they were providing 45 hospitals when they never had the funding.

"In April the Conservatives said they were hoping to put a fund together of up to £20 billion which is nowhere near enough to fulfil the hospital programme.

"The Royal Berkshire Hospital project alone would cost over £1.2 billion. There was never enough money and they knew it.

"But they kept saying 'we're going to provide these hospitals'.

"What Pauline should be doing is apologising to the people using the hospital for the Conservatives leading them down the garden path."

The Reading Liberal Democrats with their national party leader Sir Ed Davey outside the Royal Berkshire Hospital. Credit: Reading Liberal Democrats

Cllr Jorgensen's open letter was addressed to Yuan Yang, who was elected the Labour MP for Earley and Woodley in the July general election.

Mr Jones has raised the issue of funding for a new Royal Berkshire Hospital in debates over the Budget Responsibility Bill, which is aimed at filling the government's budget shortfall.

He said: "At a budget responsibility debate asked the chancellor to hurry up and make a decision [on hospital funding] because we 've waited four and a half years for money to be allocated and it still hasn't been done."

Mr Jones added that he will continue to press the chancellor on the issue during future debates about the budget responsibility bill as well.

He also said he will be 'chasing' Wes Streeting, the secretary of state for health for answers next week.

Mr Streeting is the Labour MP for Ilford North.

Since being beaten by Ms Yang during the general election, cllr Jorgensen retained her role as a Wokingham Borough councillor for Hillside and the leader of the opposition on the council.