Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to research by the Royal College of General Practitioners on cuts to GP budgets, said:

“The Prime Minister has spent all year trying to blame the 2004 GP contract for problems in primary care and A&E. But these figures tell the real story and expose David Cameron’s spin.

"People are struggling to get appointments because David Cameron siphoned billions out of front-line services to pay for a re-organisation no-one wanted. On his watch, GP surgeries are shutting their doors earlier because he cut the funding for evening and weekend opening agreed by Labour.

"These figures are embarrassing for a Prime Minister who got elected on a promise not to cut the NHS. They make a mockery of yet more promises he has made on GP access in Manchester this week and show he simply can’t be trusted on the NHS.”