Health secretary Frank Dobson’s stock has risen since his uneasy debut last summer (see Politics, page 21). But that won’t last long if he has to preside over many more announcements of large increases in waiting lists. Figures for England showing just that were expected as the Journal went to press; figures for Wales released last week show a rise of more than a third.

So far, ministers’ response has been to shrug and ask, ‘Who’s fault is that?’ while laying the blame on the previous Conservative government. That won’t wash much longer: ministers have been in power for nine months, long enough to do something about reversing the trend; and this government’s insistence on following the previous government’s spending plans is at the root of the problem.

Sure, unlike most of the rest of the public sector, the NHS has been blessed with dollops of extra cash since last May. But dollops are not the answer. Perhaps a glimmer of hope lies in the enormous political embarrassment which waiting lists cause. If the government is eager to avoid anything, it is political embarrassment.