NEWS that the long-awaited Women and Children’s ‘Hospital’ promised for the Treliske site may never be built is both shocking and disappointing.

The £291-million project – part of the previous Conservative government’s promised New Hospital Programme (NHP) – intended to combine maternity, neonatal, paediatric and obstetric and gynaecology services in one building at Treliske.

It was scheduled for completion by 2028 – but the new Labour Government’s Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, told local MPs the Conservatives never budgeted for the project and that NHP is therefore unaffordable. He’s instituted an urgent review of NHP, with the aim of recalibrating the programme. Needless to say, I immediately wrote to Mr Streeting to protest and ask for a meeting.

I recently arranged a meeting for all of Cornwall’s MPs with health minister, Karin Smyth, at which we insisted the delivery of the Women and Children’s Hospital was essential for future healthcare in Cornwall. The hopes of our local communities had been cruelly raised by the clearly empty promises of the previous Conservative government. It’s disappointing though unsurprising news, in that the previous Conservative government should trumpet promises of these ‘new hospitals’ when they knew full-well they never budgeted the money to deliver them.

I’ve called for a meeting. Ministers need to know why this is vital. Women at my (western) end of Cornwall can’t seek alternative services to the west, south or north. The geographic case alone should be sufficient to persuade the review team. In addition, the current Princess Alexandra (maternity) Suite should also be viewed by the review team in the same way as it views those projects with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) which have been granted the green light, as I understand that building still has similar substantive potential safety risks.

While Israel continues its campaign in Gaza, it now demonstrates its overwhelming military superiority over Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has primitive ability to withstand and defend the Lebanese communities its dug into. Israel is one of the most powerful and sophisticated military powers on the planet.

Of course, as we approach the first anniversary of Hamas’ appalling terror outrage in southern Israel, it’s right that Israel should take reasonable steps to defend itself. But, since then it’s clear its actions have been massively disproportionate. I make no apology for calling for a ceasefire last October and for an immediate end to UK arms exports to Israel. There’s been pitiful leadership from either the last or this government. The UN has proven to be a consistent though ultimately toothless constraint on Israel’s excessive use of its massive military might in the region.

Andrew George

Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives