Wimbledon’s MP came under fire for mounting an “aggressive and personal” campaign against the head of Sutton and Merton’s health trust, at a full council meeting last week.

Stephen Hammond is demanding the resignation of Bill Gillespie, chief executive of NHS Sutton and Merton, after the trusts’ spiralling finances lead it to reconsider the proposed overhaul of two hospitals in the area.

But at a meeting of all Merton’s councillors last Wednesday, Mr Hammond was accused of launching a politically expedient attack in the press.

The criticism did not prevent a motion from being passed, condemning the review of plans to build new health care centres at Mitcham’s Wilson Hospital and Wimbledon’s Nelson hospital after the trust ran up a deficit of more than £10m during the last financial year.

But Labour Councillor Jeff Hanna said: “May I simultaneously distance myself from the aggressive, critical and personal attack mounted in the press by Wimbledon’s MP, Stephen Hammond.

“Whilst right to raise concern about the review, his call for the resignation of the trust’s Chief Executive was misplaced, premature, and smacked of political posturing.

“It was misplaced in that a knee jerk reaction in the press is not the way in which to evaluate the effectiveness of any organisation’s management of a £600m budget.”

Conservative councillor James Holmes responded: “We support this motion but councillor Hanna is wrong. It should be clear to all councillors that this is a trust with very poor financial management and we, as councillors, need to get a grip on that.

“I think the MP has reflected the view of the majority of residents whose PCT has been forced to review things it had promised would happen.”

After the meeting Mr Hammond said: "I'm glad Councillor Hanna is finally prepared to concede that the PCT should be criticised for it's financial incompetence.

"I don't like that I've had to make this personal and this is the first time in my career as an MP I've had to call for the resignation of a public official.

"But I, and many local residents, have no confidence in the PCT's review if it's carried out by Bill Gillespie."