The government says many hospital building projects in England are being delayed and some are having to wait up to 14 years before work can start.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the plans – which were part of the Conservatives’ 2019 election promise for 40 new hospitals by 2030 – were not affordable.

He accused the Tories of offering “false hope”.

In September, Labor said 21 schemes would go ahead, but on Monday scrapped plans for another 25 – including telling 18 they would have to wait until 2032 or later for construction to start.

The Tories said Labor had broken promises and should prioritize investment in new buildings.

In 2023, the National Audit Office warned that the government could miss its 2030 target.

While the original promise included 40 hospitals, others were added to the program over time.

In September, Labor gave the green light to 21 schemes – some of which had already started work and some to replace buildings that were built from reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAC) over safety concerns. Are.

On Monday, the government announced that another seven projects have been added to this priority list, with construction starting by 2029.

But 18 were to be put back, with work starting in two phases from 2032 and 2035 – and some in the latter group warning it could even take until 2039.

Streeting said: “The program we inherited was underfunded and unreliable.

“Not a single new hospital was built in the last five years, and there was no credible funding plan to build forty hospitals in the next five years.

“Today we are setting out an honest, funded and deliverable program to rebuild our NHS.”

He said £15 billion would be made available over the next five years to help pay for the work.

Shadow Health Secretary Ed Egger said the government had “broken” its promises and accused it of financial mismanagement.

“To govern means to choose, he (Streeting) has decided not to prioritize the delivery of new hospitals.”

Helen Morgan of the Liberal Democrats said: “This is a double betrayal. The Conservatives shamelessly made promises they never intended to keep.

“Now this government uses Trump’s inauguration day in a shoddy effort to bury bad news that shows a callous disregard for patients.”

Saffron Corddry of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said the announcement was a “major blow” to trusts, staff and patients.

The new timetable set by the government promises to start construction from 2032:

• leeds general infirmary
• Sutton Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (London)
• Whipps Cross Hospital (London)
• Princess Alexandra Hospital (London)
• Watford General Hospital
• Leicester General Hospital
• Kettering General Hospital (Northants)
• Musgrove Park Hospital (Somerset)
• Torbay Hospital (Devon)

Then from 2035:

• Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospital (London)
• North Devon District Hospital
• Royal Lancaster Infirmary
• St Mary’s Hospital (London)
• Royal Preston Hospital
• nottingham city hospital
• Royal Berkshire Hospital
• Hampshire Hospital
• Eastbourne District General Hospital (Sussex)