ON the day before the 1997 General Election, Tony Blair said that the country had 24 hours to save the NHS. Now, nearly six years later, he is about to prime the NHS for privatisation.

So-called "failing" hospitals will have management teams imposed on them from the private sector. One is entitled to ask why an organisation the size of the NHS does not have its own business school to develop its own specialist management resources.

"Top" hospitals will be given "foundation" status, a form of autonomy that will resurrect the NHS internal market more permanently that the Tories ever did. No wonder Tory MPs cheered when it was announced in the House of Commons recently.

We have already seen what "New" Labour's faith in the private sector's efforts on the railways has achieved.

Railtrack collapsed and billions of pounds of state subsidies went, and continue to go, straight into shareholder's pockets in dividends in return for a collapsing railway system.

Operating companies are about to cut services and increase fares.

For the next 30 years, risk-free and guaranteed profits will flow out of the treasury in their billions from PFI and other "partnership" deals on hospitals, schools and prisons irrespective of the future state of the economy.

When in opposition under Tony Blair's leadership, Labour MPs condemned these policies as Tory policies. Now "New" Labour MPs are supporting Tory policies. Listening to Health Minister John Hutton defending these policies, one is left with the impression that he and his supporters are really Tory MPs in all but name.

PETER NIELSEN, Worcester.