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Boris Johnson has denied his key hospital constructing programme is unachievable, as Labour revealed a “playbook” has been issued to make sure refurbishments are described as new hospitals.

Keir Starmer accused Johnson at PMQs of breaking “yet one more promise” on his hospital rebuilding programme.

The Well being Service Journal final month reported a government infrastructure watchdog has raised concerns about the lack of progress made to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.

Starmer stated: “The Cupboard Workplace and the Treasury have checked on the progress and it’s reported that they’ve reached a damning conclusion. They’ve concluded that the mission wants a purple flag as a result of it’s unachievable. Prime minister, is that true?”

Johnson replied: “No. He performs politics and asks frivolous questions, we’re getting on with the folks’s priorities. We’re serving to to construct one other 40 new hospitals with an injection of £36bn of investments which that get together voted in opposition to.”

Starmer countered: “That is unusual as a result of the federal government hasn’t been denying the stories concerning the purple flag they usually haven’t executed since, however now the prime minister does. There was clearly some confusion on these benches over whether or not the Cupboard Workplace and the Treasury suppose he’s on the right track to interrupt yet one more promise, this time on new constructing of hospitals. If he’s so assured in his reply, why doesn’t he publish the progress report in full and allow us to all see it?”

Johnson maintained 40 hospitals are being constructed however Starmer stated the PM lacked the arrogance to publish the report, including: “The extra we have a look at this promise, the murkier it will get. I’ve obtained a doc right here despatched by the Division of Well being to the NHS. It’s known as the ‘new hospital programme communications playbook’ – I child you not. It affords recommendation to make it simpler to speak concerning the programme. This information instructs all people to explain refurbishments and alterations on present hospitals as new hospitals. We are able to all agree that refurbishments are an excellent factor, however they’re not new hospitals. How lots of the 40 are fix-up jobs on present hospitals and what number of are literally the brand new hospitals he promised?”

Johnson replied: “You clearly don’t all the time go round constructing on greenfield websites, you rebuild hospitals and that’s what we’ve stated for the final two-and-a-half years; it’s the largest programme of hospital constructing this nation ever undertaken.”

Starmer joked: “No surprise so many Tory donors paid a lot for that wallpaper final yr, he in all probability informed them he was constructing a brand new flat.”

Concluding, Starmer highlighted “damaged guarantees” from Johnson earlier than including: “He promised 40 new hospitals and even when you rely the paint jobs, his personal watchdog says he can’t ship it. Isn’t this the reality, Mr Speaker, that any guarantees from this prime minister aren’t well worth the manifesto paper they’re written on?”

Johnson stated Starmer “dribbles on irrelevantly about wallpaper and events, enjoying politics”, including: “They’re getting on with factional infighting, we’re delivering for the folks of this nation.”