Howard: On the attack

Tony Blair and Michael Howard engaged in bitter exchanges over the state of the National Health Service.

At prime minister's questions, the Conservative leader accused the government of presiding over a rise in the number of cancelled operations.

But the prime minister insisted that most people receive good treatment from the NHS.

Howard cited the case of one pensioner who has seen her operation cancelled seven times.

He said that despite all the promises made by the government, such poor levels of care were still occurring.

The comments compelled the prime minister to accept that "if it is as described, it is completely unacceptable".

But he insisted it was wrong to capitalise on "an exception to the rule in the National Health Service".

The Tory chief said it was "not an isolated case".

There were some 67,000 other people who experienced cancelled operations last year, he said.

The failures are causing "trauma" to patients, families, doctors, and nurses, added Howard.

Blair responded by insisting that "there are literally millions of people who have their operations in the National Health Service every single year and are very well treated".

He accused the Tories of trying to undermine the NHS and opposing extra health spending.

'Synthetic anger'

Howard told MPs that treatments had not got better under Labour, and accused the prime minister of failing to explain the number of cancelled operations.

"No one denies that more money has been spent on the National Health Service, but it hasn't reached the front line," he said.

More was going on bureaucracy and managers, warned the Tory chief.

"The prime minister is living in an entirely different universe."

But Blair said that "the rule is that people are treated excellently" in the NHS.

The prime minister asked: "What is his proposal?"

"This is what he doesn't tell people. It is to take £1 billion out of the National Health Service and spend it on his vouchers."

He added: "They've never changed, they never will change, which is why they should never get back in charge of our health service."

Howard returned to the despatch box to accuse Blair of "synthetic anger".

"We will increase the investment and improve the health service so we have a health service of which we can be truly proud," he insisted.

Blair responded by saying the last Conservative government had presided over increased waiting lists.