WHILE Labour is investing to modernise the NHS and make it faster, fairer and more convenient for patients, the Tories would make people pay privately instead.

At a time when increased investment is beginning to show results such as the completion of the improved A & E in Bolton, in an interview with the BBC programme, 'On The Record', Liam Fox confirmed that the Tories will instead use public money to subsidise private medical insurance, rather than modernise the NHS.

In short, this means they will take millions out of the NHS budget to pay for tax perks -- up to £500 million before a single extra person took out medical insurance -- and that his refusal to support duty on tobacco going to the NHS will mean another cut of £400 million a year.

The basic fact remains, and no amount of wriggling will allow the Tories to escape the fact, that, if elected in a future General Election, they will make patients pay up to £7,800 for a hip replacement, or £2,400 for a cataract operation. In order to satisfy their pledge to cut taxes year on year, they will also have to make further cuts to health spending, be it money for beds, operations or nurses and doctors' pay. If people want an NHS that will go down the same route as some of our privatised buses and trains and be profit-driven rather than service-driven, then they should have no hesitation in supporting the Tories when an election comes. If they want a fully funded, free NHS based on need rather than affluence, they should stick with Labour. The choice is simple.

M Schmid

Lower Landedmans

Westhoughton, Bolton