Dame Barbara’s husband says he’s ‘disappointed’ in dementia funding

Dame Barbara Windsor's husband has said he is disappointed the Government is "not doing more" for dementia sufferers, despite the Prime Minister making a pledge to the late star to improve care.

Boris Johnson told the actress, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014, that he would "do my best for you" when she delivered a letter to Downing Street in 2019 pleading for better care for fellow sufferers.

Dame Barbara, known for her work in the Carry On films and Eastenders, died in December at the age of 83.

In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, her husband of 20 years, Scott Mitchell, said his "heart goes out to every person affected" by coronavirus but ministers "cannot lose sight" of the need for treatments for those affected by dementia.

"It's disappointing to see the Government is not doing more for people affected, despite the promises he made to me and Barbara in 2019," Mr Mitchell told the newspaper.

"While we knew nothing could be done to save Barbara from this cruel condition, we were passionate about making sure action would be taken to save other families from the heartbreak it causes.

"More than a year ago, the Government promised to double its funding for dementia research yet we have seen no further commitment to this pledge."

During the last election, the Conservatives pledged that they would increase public investment to £160 million in what the party described as the "largest boost to dementia research ever" in the United Kingdom.