TWO Redbridge MPs have proposed a motion in Parliament calling for plans to close the borough's only A&E department to be rejected.

Lee Scott, MP for Ilford North and Mike Gapes, member for Ilford South, sponsored an early day motion calling on Redbridge Council to oppose the 'Health for North East London' plan which would see emergency services downgraded at King George Hospital.

It read: "This House expresses its strong opposition to the “Health for North East London” proposals to downgrade services at King George Hospital Ilford which would close the Accident and Emergency department, end critical care support and acute surgical and medical treatment, end Children's surgery and end maternity delivery in Ilford.

And that the house - "notes that under these proposals the 264,000 residents of Redbridge would no longer have a local hospital in the borough, and therefore calls on Redbridge Council's Health Scrutiny Committee to reject these proposals and immediately refer the matter to the Secretary of State for Health.

Lee said "If we lose key departments at King George this would force local people to travel much further for treatment and put unbearable extra patient pressures on the other hospitals.

"This motion is designed to highlight this issue."