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Boris Johnson, on a visit to a hospital yesterday, was confronted by the father of sick child.

This anxious parent, Omar Salem, rightly took the Prime Minister to task over the damage Tory cuts had done to the NHS.

He was also justified in calling out Mr Johnson for using his visit as a PR opportunity.

Mr Salem is a proud Labour activist but he was talking as the dad of a seriously-ill girl.

The response speaks volumes about the PM’s character.

Instead of showing any contrition, Mr Johnson claimed – in front of the TV cameras – there were no Press present.

We are used to politicians twisting the truth but rarely has the country been led by a congenital liar.

He may dislike the truth but he cannot hide from it.

Patients are not getting the treatment they need and deserve because of Tory cuts.

Waiting times up are, GP surgeries are struggling to cope with the workload and our hospitals are understaffed and underfunded.

The NHS deserves better. And the country deserves better than this mendacious PM.

Big local issue

Your local pub is not just a place for a quiet drink or two, it is a hub of the community where friendships are formed.

It is where sports teams toast wins and drown sorrows, where charities are supported and where anniversaries are celebrated.

Which is why we should all be worried that three pubs on average are closing each day.

If the trend continues, six million people could lose their local in the next five years.

This is not just calling time on last orders but on a key component of what makes a thriving area. That is why we back calls for a cut in beer duty to give pubs a lifeline.

Piers pressure

Ant and Dec say Piers Morgan would be a dream contestant for I’m A Celebrity.

Yes, Susanna Reid, his Good Morning Britain co-host, does deserve a break. But is it really fair on the grubs and beasts in the jungle?