A LOCAL MP has urged people to “get behind” plans for a new hospital in Basingstoke.

Maria Miller was speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.

She said: “The government is backing a new hospital to serve Basingstoke with money to back our business case.

“Does my right honourable friend agree that a bid that could include new jobs, new business facilities and new homes is a bid that everybody in North Hampshire should get behind?”

Responding, Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary who stood in for Boris Johnson earlier today, told Ms Miller that the government were giving the NHS “the biggest cash boost in history”.

“It sounds like a very tantalising proposal and I’m sure the health secretary will look at it very closely indeed.”

It was announced yesterday that money was to be given to a number of hospitals to develop their plans, and that Basingstoke was amongst them.

The new hospital is planned to be built near junction 7 of the M3.