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A top Tory has sparked fury by killing off a law to give cancer patients life-saving drugs for as little as 5p.

MPs revolted in the Commons today as Health Minister Alistair Burt spoke for half an hour despite howls from Tory, Labour and SNP backbenchers.

They tried three times to hold a vote but they failed and the clock reached 2.30pm, ending the debate and shelving the Bill.

The Labour MP behind the law told the Mirror it showed 'the worst of our politics'.

In heated exchanges Mr Burt said he was right to take his time and accused MPs of 'shroud-waving' - exploiting a death or tragedy to hog the spotlight.

He snapped: "Oh, shroud-waving, thank you very much, that's all we need" - prompting shouts of 'shocking!'.

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But he said sorry after Labour MP George Howarth fumed: "Would you not think in the context of this Bill that the term shroud waving was at the very least inappropriate?"

He told MPs: "I certainly did myself a disservice with a silly and offhand remark. I entirely accept that and that's not like me, I apologise."

It is the second week in a row that a backbench Bill has run out of time after a bid to give carers free parking was fatally stalled by a Tory's 90-minute speech .

This week's was the Off-Patent Drugs Bill by Labour MP Nick Thomas-Symonds, who claimed it would save patients' lives and millions of pounds in NHS cash .

Passing a vote today would have cleared the law's first big hurdle and sent it to the Commons committee stage. Instead it is set to lie dormant.

The law would allow doctors to prescribe old, cheap drugs for uses other than why they were invented.

Despite being backed by experts it was opposed by the Tory government , which said doctors can already prescribe old drugs under the current law.

But charities say the law means doctors are 'anxious' to prescribe drugs without an official licence.

The new law would have relaxed licensing on Bisphosphonates, which were used for years to strengthen bones but have now been shown to cut breast cancer deaths.

The patent on the drug has now expired, meaning it can be produced by any drug company for just 5p.

Also covered would be Tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer but now shown to have preventive powers too.

Mr Thomas-Symonds said it could have also helped patients with Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis (MS).

He told the Mirror: "MPs of all parties spoke with one voice today in support of my Bill, and the Minister did not present any convincing reasons at all for his opposition to it.

(Image: PA)

"This is a simple, cross-party Bill that is supported by health charities and the medical profession. It would have benefited patients, making cheap drugs available for a number of conditions like breast cancer, Parkinson's and MS.

"I don’t see what harm there would have been for the Government to allow it to proceed to Committee Stage.

"That would have given Ministers plenty of time to explain why they oppose my Bill and to examine this important issue.

"I attempted to put the question to the House so that MPs who had stayed to debate the issue on behalf of constituents could express their views in a vote, yet the Minister continued to talk the Bill out.”

"In a way, this showed the best and worst of our politics.

"On one hand, I’m pleased that MPs of all major parties put party politics aside to argue for a common sense, compassionate solution to a problem that affects our constituents.

"But then despite the overwhelming view of those present, we are denied a vote by a Minister determined to talk the Bill out."

(Image: ArtBox Images)

MS Society chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: "The Government needs to stop dragging its heels on this crucial issue and start taking action.

"It has missed two opportunities to pave the way for cheap, promising drugs that could make such a difference to the lives of so many people with MS."

MPs raced through their debate today to stop the Bill running out of time and Mr Burt stood up at the despatch box at 2.03pm, giving himself 27 minutes.

But he said bluntly: "I will talk until half past two and I make that very clear."

MP after MP shouted at the Tory minister to let the Bill clear its first hurdle and pass through to a committee.

Labour backbencher Paul Flynn said: "He's taken this stand which is cruel and unfair according to what the industry is telling him to maximise their profits and put patients last."

(Image: Getty)

Tory Christopher Chope - famous for long speeches himself - was cheered as he told his own minister to let the Bill through and use 'oodles and oodles of time' later on.

And the SNP's Patrick Grady accused Mr Burt of an 'outrageous abuse of the Parliamentary system'.

Mr Burt promised to take MPs' passionate opinions on board but said: "The government doesn't support the Bill, still doesn't support the Bill. And I will defend that position.

"No sensible government would seek to resist people's access to drugs in any way and the reason for resisting is the government believes there is another pathway.

"It is not always the case that something brought forward by a charity and advocated passionately by colleagues is always the answer.

"It's not disgraceful - it's the right answer."