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Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith today warned David Cameron against closures at a London hospital as the revolt over NHS reforms escalated.
In a startling admission, the Work and Pensions Secretary said waiting lists are already growing as he led a campaign against shutting the A&E and maternity units at King George Hospital, Ilford.
The ex-Tory leader warned that thousands of patients in his constituency will suffer if the closures go ahead.
His intervention will electrify the row over hospital department closures in the capital.
Campaigners have warned the move will put further pressure on the already overstretched Queen's in Romford and Whipps Cross in Leytonstone.
Mr Duncan Smith signed a letter opposing the closures at King George Hospital on the doorstep of No 10 today. He told the Standard: "This closure will seriously damage local health services, placing enormous pressure on other hospitals.
"Waiting times have already increased since last year and maternity services at Queens and Whipps are already struggling to cope. Patients in my constituency will really suffer if this closure goes ahead and we must prevent it."
The letter was signed by three other Tory MPs, Lee Scott, Andrew Rosindell and Angela Watkinson, as well as Labour's Margaret Hodge, Jon Cruddas, John Cryer and Mike Gapes.
Mrs Hodge, the MP for Barking, said: "This move will put unbearable pressure on the other local hospitals and it will be patients who suffer. My constituents will have to go to Queens in Romford, whose services are already completely overstretched and whose maternity unit is being investigated by the Care Quality Commission."
She added: "Tens of thousands of our constituents across the whole of north-east London have signed a petition against it. The GPs in my constituency are completely against it. It is only the bureaucrats who are for it."
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has referred his proposals to an independent reconfiguration panel and a final decision is due in July. The storm over closures came with Mr Lansley already under fire over his landmark reshaping of the NHS to hand GPs commissioning powers with a £60billion budget.
Mr Lansley has repeatedly been asked to put a stop to the proposed closures at King George. Just weeks ago, Queen's Hospital was ordered by an NHS watchdog to make drastic improvements to its maternity unit.
