Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, commenting on reports Downing Street has admitted that at least £1 billion of the ‘new’ money for the NHS is not actually new, said:

“Boris Johnson has misled the public and our NHS staff. You cannot trust a word he says and his claims are unravelling.

“It is now clear this is not new money, but funds already earmarked for hospitals which ministers previously blocked.

“With 4.4 million patients waiting for operations and over 20,000 cancer patients waiting longer for treatment it is a disgrace that Johnson is trying to treat people like fools.

“After years of smash and grab cuts of £4 billion to NHS budgets it is now clearer than ever that, as Johnson’s top adviser says, the Tories don’t care about our NHS.”

Ends

Notes to editors