A fresh bid to stop the controversial Westbury incinerator being built has been launched.

South West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison has lobbied government ministers to impose a moratorium on building more energy from waste incinerators.

He is hoping that if the government imposes a the temporary prohibition, he will be able to stop the proposed £200 million facilty - opposed by Wiltshire Council and residents of the town - from being built.

“I will do everything in my power to prevent it from happening,” said Dr Murrison, who has just been readopted as the Conservative candidate for the South West Wiltshire constituency.

He was readopted at a selection meeting of his party held at the Civic Centre in Warminster on Friday, February 17.

Dr Murrison was first elected at the 2001 general election for the then Westbury seat having been selected by his party at the same venue the previous year.

The boundaries changed in 2010 and the seat was renamed South West Wiltshire. It currently includes Trowbridge, Westbury, Warminster, Mere, Tisbury and surrounding villages.

Dr Murrison said: "It's been a privilege to serve our area and I'm grateful to my local party for readopting me as its candidate for the next election."

Newly returned to the government’s front bench as defence minister for personnel, Dr Murrison is anticipating the next general election to be called at the end of 2024.