TORY Chancellor Sajid Javid said his party wants to make sure Warrington has the ‘very best’ when pressed on funding for a new hospital during his visit to the town.

The senior figure visited Warrington Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the International Business Centre in Westbrook today, Tuesday.

He was welcomed by the party’s Warrington South candidate Andy Carter and Warrington North candidate Wendy Maisey.

A number of secret locations have been under consideration for the proposed new hospital in the borough, with the potential for the current Lovely Lane site also included.

The issue has formed a significant part of the general election campaign – with the Government being urged to earmark funds for a new site.

Warrington was not included as one of the sites in the Government’s recently announced hospital building programme but Mr Javid insists the Conservatives ‘care’ about every part of the country, including the town.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Hospital

He also said they want to make sure the borough has the ‘very best’ public services – and stated that his party has already set aside a record amount of funding for the NHS.

He said: “What Warrington needs is a local champion that can help get things done in Westminster that will benefit people in Warrington and that is Andy, get him there, and that means that we can put together a business plan that we can then look at because, certainly with the Conservatives, we’ll keep the economy strong enough to have more investment in the NHS.”

Mr Carter said the business plans for a new hospital are ‘not prepared’ and highlighted the need to get that part of the process completed.

Mr Javid said: “You need a local champion, a strong local champion, Warrington has lacked that voice and that is why it needs Andy Carter.”

Warrington Borough Council’s Labour group voted for the town to team up with Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Council in a deal – instead of the Liverpool City Region – in January 2017.

However, the authorities have grown increasingly frustrated over a lack of progress from figures in Westminster.

But Mr Javid said: “We have already said we want to see more devolution in England and we will have a devolution white paper, if we are elected back into office, very quickly to set out our plans.”

And when pressed on whether the Tories have earmarked enough funds for social care, he said the party is putting ‘record amounts’ of cash into it.

The politician says the party wants to see a ‘settlement’ for the long term and highlighted the need to get cross-party consensus.

Mr Javid said the Tories want a future system where nobody will ‘have to sell their home to pay for their social care’.

Pressed on whether Boris Johnson should step down as leader if the Tories fail to secure power in the election on December 12, he added: “We are all fighting to make sure that the Conservatives, with Boris Johnson as our leader, do succeed – I am not trying to think about anything else.

“We need to go out there and win every vote and I want to see a better future for Warrington and that means a Conservative champion here locally and a Conservative government in Westminster.”