The refurbishment of Watford General Hospital is likely to exceed the initial estimate of £400 million, with hospital bosses stating it may cost close to £650 million.

The Government has to fund the hospital, no matter the cost, otherwise it will never get built. We have waited far too long for it and it didn’t help that the Liberal Democrat and Conservative coalition government failed to take Labour’s plans forward when they took over in Government.

Over a decade later, only now does a new hospital look a real possibility. However, it is no good the present Tory MP for Watford banging on about a new hospital in this paper, he has to put the Government’s money where his mouth is and get the cash to actually build it.

We are glad to see the hospital design is taking shape, with proposals now unveiled. What is of concern is the fact that it’s future is in the hands of ­- to quote the Prime Minister ­- “hopeless Hancock”, who is somehow still the Secretary of State for Health.

It is time for all of us to get behind our new hospital. But getting behind it isn’t simply saying nice words about it, it is all about action.

Labour has always supported a new hospital at Watford, even though we were criticised by the Conservatives for doing so and we have also been consistently misrepresented by the Liberal Democrats. After all, it was Labour that instituted our beloved NHS and successfully campaigned to save our hospital from closure in the 1990s.

We have a generation of people waiting for a much-needed new hospital in Watford. The Government has the money, it needs to finally follow through on its promise and deliver for our town.

  • Cllr Nigel Bell is leader of Watford Labour Group and West Watford county councillor