Tories backtrack on cancer guarantee

A victory for Harman; a good move by Cameron.

By James Macintyre Published 14 July 2010 16:39

Earlier, I blogged on today's session of Prime Minister's Questions, in which Harriet Harman accused David Cameron of "dodging" the question of whether the government would keep the two-week cancer guarantee.

Now it appears that, after the tetchy exchanges, the Tories are backtracking. The health minister Simon Burns has said the promise will survive.

Nick Clegg looked a little more uncomfortable than usual during PMQs, and was not nodding as much as he sometimes does. Some Westminster sources suspect that the Liberal Democrat presence in government influenced this afternoon's apparent about-turn.

Burns, incidentally, recently shot to infamy by calling the Speaker, John Bercow, a "stupid, sanctimonious little dwarf".

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4 comments

Sat, 2010-07-17 17:11 — Nick (not verified)

It simply astounds me that worthwhile and vital subjects such as this one attract so little interest; yet over 172 posts appear in the two blogs connected with that vile creature Moat. Have we all lost the plot as to the more critical issues which affect us these days?

Fri, 2010-07-16 12:05 — Nick (not verified)

It was interesting to hear QT last night (15th July). The Tory member clearly fudged the issue over whether they would backtrack on the 2 week pledge to refer potential cancer patients. He wouldn't be drawn on a firm answer and evaded it by continually referring to how it would depend on the results of 'clinical guidance' as to whether the plans to see patients within two weeks was a good thing. Being cynical, I think you can probably guess what the outcome of the clinical guidance will be! The outcome of course is that cancer patients will be left to die because they end up not being diagnosed at an early stage. I suppose a higher number of dead patients would fit quite nicely with the coalition's plans to reduce costs.

What was also interesting was that QT came from Bexhill, a real Tory area, the audience was more hostile than it was last week in Scotland! Labour held up well. Galloway was on the panel and said some surprisingly sensible things. This coalition is far from as 'popular' as the media are portraying

Fri, 2010-07-16 12:21 — Lou (not verified)

Interesting QT all round last night I thought Nick and I particularly enjoyed the point where Maude had to answer the question about his own health care by the audience member. Maude was cringeworthy on most points but particularly his evasiveness over the two week pledge.
Slightly offpoint but connected....this handing over power to the GPs and budgets - am I under a misconception here, didn't we try this under the last tory government and it failed miserably?

Fri, 2010-07-16 16:04 — Nick (not verified)

Hi Lou, good to hear from you. Yes it was nice seeing Maude squirm over that one! It just seems that this lot want to change everything, PCT's have been around for a while now but I'm not sure what the last Tory lot did, don't even think they know themselves! Shall look into that one.

I seem to remember when Labour swept to power in 1997, the Tories did nothing but accuse Labour of nicking their ideas (which is a bit hypocritical given their condemnation of the last 13 years). Now they are saying that everything unpopular they are doing is what labour would have done anyway. It's a confession that the Tories just don't have any ideas of their own, when they do, they are just bad ones!

The cancer issue is one which is dear to my heart as I lost my dear ol mum to this horrid disease in 1996. I wouldn't blame it on anyone but early detection could have resulted in a cure. Personally I don't know how people have the strength to go through the terminal stages, it's soul destroying to watch and anything to prevent people reaching that stage has to be for the better.