Watford’s UK Independence Party mayoral candidate has clarified his position on Watford General Hospital saying he would not lobby to move it out of West Watford.

Phil Cox said his party was pledging to launch an all-options review of the health campus project if elected, which would include looking at the best location for the hospital.

Health bosses are currently drawing up a new scheme, called a clinic strategy, which will decided the future of hospital services across south west Hertfordshire.

Mr Cox said: "Our position on the health campus is that it is a smokescreen hiding a large housing development behind the possibility of a new hospital.

"Some people are saying we are looking to move the hospital out of Watford. This is not the case. What we want to do is put all options on the table, if elected, including whether West Watford is the best place."

In a previous interview with the Watford Observer, Mr Cox said he disagreed with the current health campus plan, which would see the Farm Terrace Allotments built on and around 750 new homes built.

He said his party was keen to re-evaluate the scheme if they took the town’s elected mayoralty in May.

One of the options he said the party would look into was the possibly moving the hospital to a "more central location" to Watford, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans.

Mr Cox comments come as Watford’s Conservative MP seized on UKIP’s position on the hospital and said it would not move from the town on his watch.