AN MP has clashed with the Prime Minister over the future of Darlington’s hospital services on the day members of Parliament were asked to vote on whether to call a general election in June.

During Prime Minister’s Questions, Darlington Labour MP called for reassurance that services would not be cut at the town’s Memorial Hospital as part of the NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plan.

However, the Prime Minister refused to be drawn on the future of the town’s hospital and instead turned her ire onto Ms Chapman’s stance on the Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

Ms Chapman asked: “Does the Prime Minister support the people of Darlington when they oppose the downgrading of their A&E and maternity services. They want an answer they can trust, Prime Minister, is it yes or no?”

In response the PM said: “The proposals for health configuration of health services in local areas is a matter that is being determined by local clinicians in the best interest of services in the local area. But I’m interested, the Honourable lady refers to the views of her constituents in Darlington, she has said of the leader of the opposition, the leader of her party, my constituents in Darlington have made it clear to me they cannot support the Labour party under your leadership. How can they possibly support him as the leader of the country?”

Speaking after the clash, Ms Chapman said: “We demand an honest answer – yes or no Prime Minister? She fudged her answer. That’s simply not good enough for my constituents.”

With members voting 522 to 13 in favour of a general election being called for June 8, local MPs have been making it clear whether they plan to stand or not.

Labour’s Hartlepool MP, Iain Wright, has announced that he was standing down.

The former minister, who chairs the Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee, said he would “like to do other things” with his life.

Mr Wright was elected in 2004 and held the Hartlepool seat with a majority of 3,024 at the 2015 general election.

He said: “It has been an enormous privilege to serve my home town in Parliament. I have now been an MP for nearly a third of my life. I would like to do other things and now is a good opportunity to do so.”

Neighbouring MP Grahame Morris, who represents the Easington constituency, plans to fight for his seat again as he accuses the PM of ‘running scared’ and wants to use her party’s lead in the polls to silence opposition to Brexit plans.

He said: “We are awaiting the details of the procedures, but it is my intention to seek the nomination and stand as Labour candidate in Easington.”

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s decision to seek a General Election, he added: “It is extremely opportunistic on the part of Theresa May, when she denied strenuously any intention to have a snap general election only a matter of a few weeks ago.”

On Tuesday, Tom Blenkinsop delivered a parting shot at Jeremy Corbyn as he announced his decision not to fight Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.