Kemi Badenoch slammed Labour for failing patients amid warnings that the devastating impact of doctors' strikes will last beyond January. The Tory leader said that children and pensioners will be left to suffer in pain this Christmas because of Sir Keir Starmer’s inaction.

She urged the Prime Minister to show some “backbone” by banning further walkouts, with hospitals already at breaking point dealing with the worst flu crisis in years. Her blistering attack came as shocking footage revealed the horrific scale of the problem, with patients lined up in beds along hospital corridors. The video, secretly filmed by ITV News, showed pensioners among those seen waiting on rows of trolleys outside A&E wards at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital in Lancashire.

Writing in the Daily Express, Mrs Badenoch warned: “Once again, patients are paying the price for Labour’s political failure.

“But this is not theoretical harm. It is cancelled operations, missed cancer appointments. “There will be parents watching their kids suffer and pensioners left in pain, and all because Labour won’t stand up to the doctors’ unions.”

Health bosses have called on the Government and the British Medical Association (BMA) to end the five-day walkout, which is due to end on Monday – three days before Christmas.

Professor Meghana Pandit, medical director at NHS England, said: “These strikes come at an immensely challenging time for the NHS.

“There are record numbers of patients in hospital with flu for this time of year.

“Staff will come together as they always do, but sadly, more patients are likely to feel the impact of this round of strikes than in the previous two.”

There are now estimated to be more than 3,000 patients in hospitals with flu, as experts said the peak was not yet in sight.

This means more beds are full, so people cannot be admitted to wards quickly, leading to longer waits in A&E.

Cheltenham General Hospital's emergency department is closing for emergencies during the strike. It will remain open for minor injuries.

Dr Layla McCay, from the NHS Confederation, said the impact of this strike will be felt beyond January.

“What healthcare leaders are telling us is that the impact we will see from these particular strikes will affect particularly things like the waiting lists, and the disruption that is being caused this week will be felt all the way into January and beyond.”

Mrs Badenoch challenged Sir Keir over his “broken promise” of failing to prevent the latest walkout during Prime Minister’s Questions hours after resident doctors abandoned colleagues on Wednesday.

“He promised to end the doctors' strike,” she said.

“He gave the doctors a 28.9% pay rise. What did he get in return?

“This morning they have gone back on strike for the third time, in the middle of winter, in the middle of the worst flu crisis in years.

“This shouldn’t be allowed. We already banned strikes by the police and the army – why doesn’t he put patients first, show some backbone and ban doctors' strikes?”

Responding, Sir Keir said: “Let me be clear about the strikes. They're dangerous and utterly irresponsible.

“My message to resident doctors is, do not abandon patients. Work with us to improve conditions and rebuild the NHS.”

But Mrs Badenoch hit back, saying the Labour leader “doesn't have the baubles” to ban doctors' strikes, and that he had lost control to trade unions.

Speaking at a picket line at a London hospital, BMA resident doctor leader Dr Jack Fletcher said that "we're here yet again, because we have not yet reached a credible deal to fix this absurd jobs crisis".

"What we're asking for is to stop these real-term pay cuts that the Government is recommending for doctors," he said.

Asked about recent polling that suggests public support for the strikes is declining, he said: "I do care what my patients think but I didn't sign up to give that care in a corridor."

This is the 14th walkout by resident doctors in a long-running pay dispute.

The strike went ahead after last-minute talks between the Government and union broke down without agreement on Tuesday.

Resident doctors represent nearly half of the doctors working in the NHS.

They are walking out of both emergency and non-urgent care with senior doctors drafted in to provide cover.

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, told Times Radio: “What’s so frustrating is that this strike feels no closer to being resolved than it ever has been, and it’s getting more and more acrimonious as well.”

Conciliation service Acas said it is “well prepared and ready to help with the dispute”.

Earlier on Wednesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told broadcasters: “We did everything we could to avert these strikes and to stop strike action from taking place.

“I think people can see that I’ve tried my absolute best to avoid these strikes on what is the worst time for the NHS.

“I’m really sorry to patients for the disruption that is happening as a result.”

BMA members rejected a new offer from the Government on Monday.

The deal includes a fast expansion of specialist training posts, which would be ratified by emergency legislation, as well as covering out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees, but does not include extra pay.