Labour would push on with hospital rebuilding programme, vows shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves
"We are very much committed," to rebuilding hospitals, Labour's Rachel Reeves told ITV News Anglia.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has vowed to push on with hospital rebuilding plans, denying that Labour would delay on the programme.
On a visit to Kettering in Northamptonshire, she said a Labour government would commit to the long-awaited upgrade plan to deliver 40 new hospitals across the country originally announced under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
One of those slated for a rebuild is Kettering General Hospital, and fears had been raised by the Conservatives during the campaign that the project could be postponed or scrapped.
However, on a visit to Morrisons supermarket in the town, Ms Reeves said she had no plans to shelve the rebuild.
"We are very much committed to the hospital building programme," she told ITV News Anglia.
"The Conservatives promised these 40 new hospitals almost five years ago, and very few have been built. Many haven't even started.
"The money is there, it has been allocated, and we are committed to those hospitals including the rebuild of Kettering General Hospital."
Several hospitals in the East of England are included on the rebuild programme, including the Queen Elizabeth and James Paget in Norfolk, Hinchingbrooke in Cambridgeshire, Harlow's Princess Alexandra in Essex and the West Suffolk in Bury St Edmunds.
Last month, NHS hospitals promised new buildings told ITV News they were spending tens of millions of pounds every year on maintenance and repair, amid fears that the government would not meet its target of replacing them by 2030.
However, there was less certainty over the future of East West Rail, with Ms Reeves saying Labour would need to "open the bonnet" of the £1bn line linking Cambridge and Oxford.
Rachel Reeves told ITV News Anglia's Matthew Hudson Labour would need to "open the bonnet" before making a decision on East West Rail
"That work looking at the feasibility has already started. We want that to continue. We've already appointed Juergen Maier to do a review for the Labour Party on rail infrastructure.
"We will look closely at this project," she said. "We do want to get Britain building again; the new housing, transport and energy that we need so that our economy works again. We need to grow our economy and to do that we need to invest in infrastructure."
Pushed on what that would mean for East-West Rail, Ms Reeves would not commit.
"We need to open the bonnet if we are fortunate enough to form the next government.
"We do want to improve rail links and also bus services as well, which is why we've that local authorities should be able to have a much greater say in bus services in their local areas.
"We want a transport system that works for families and pensioners as well.
"But we'll have to look at everything the government has got in the pipeline to make sure it is good value for money and delivers for local people."
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know