Worse Before It Gets Better

Pledge on cancer but Tories slammed for delays in tackling 6m NHS'waiting list

- Ben Glaze

Boris Johnson was last night branded incompetent after he delayed plans to tackle the NHS Covid backlog while six million patients languish on waiting lists.

And his own health minister warned the situation will get worse before it gets better, sparking fears people will die or suffer worse illnesses.

Boris Johnson yesterday rushed out a new target to clear the queue for cancer treatment, but admitted it will take more than a year.

The PM said that from March 2023, nobody should wait more than two months. He was yesterday due to publish plans to bring down waiting.

But at the 11th hour it was put off until next week amid claims the Treasury is demanding more guarantees of results from extra cash for the NHS.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said: “It's yet more evidence of the chaos, incompetence. Particularly of the last three or four months where everybody's been embroiled in Partygate allegations.

The price for that is the Government is not getting on with the job.