A Tory pledge to build 40 new hospitals by the end of the decade is in jeopardy, it has been claimed, with just 10 having so far received full planning permission. The commitment to build the new hospitals by 2030 was one of the key planks of Boris Johnson’s 2019 general election manifesto.
However, the Liberal Democrats said details obtained through parliamentary questions and Freedom of Information requests showed the programme was behind schedule and the target was almost certain to be missed. The party said that only 10 hospitals had received permission to begin work, while some had not even received outline planning permission.
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said the failure meant communities would be left to struggle on with with crumbling facilities that were badly in need of updating. “This is truly scandalous. The Conservative Government is on course to break their flagship NHS promise and refuse to admit it,” she said.
