Rishi Sunak’s pledge to bring down NHS waiting lists “lies in tatters” after the latest figures showed they have hit another record high.
Figures published on Thursday showed there were 7.77 million waits for treatment at the end of September - up from 7.75 million in August.
It is the highest number since records began in August 2007.
The number of individuals waiting stands at 6.5 million, as some are on multiple lists for different appointments.
Last November, the NHS estimated the number of individuals was 5.5 million.
In January, the prime minister promised “NHS waiting lists will fall” as one of his five pledges to voters.
Nicola Ranger, the chief nurse at the Royal College of Nursing union, said the government had “lost control”.
“Despite the numbers now almost trebling since May 2010 and the prime minister’s promises to cut waits, people are being told today that they’re going to be waiting longer as the NHS runs out of money,” she said.
“This is the result of ignoring and devaluing our safety critical profession over 13 years and now it’s patients paying the highest price.”
Sunak has previously blamed strikes by doctors and nurses for sabotaging his hopes of cutting waiting times.
But Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said Sunak’s promise had “effectively been abandoned”.
“The prime minister’s choosing to blame NHS staff instead of fixing the problem himself,” he said.
Daisy Cooper, Lib Dem health spokesperson and deputy leader, said the figures showed Sunak’s NHS pledge “lies in tatters”.
“He’s failed patients, failed NHS staff and failed the country. Month after month, more and more people are waiting in pain, desperate for treatment so they can get their lives back,” she said.
“The Conservative Party has brought our health service to its knees and in the coming winter months the NHS will have to brace itself for crisis once more.”
Stephen Powis, the NHS medical director, said: “Today’s figures are a stark reminder of the ongoing pressures the NHS is facing.
“Particularly in emergency care with significant demand for ambulances and A&E as we head into what we are expecting to be another challenging winter in the health service.”