I LEFT the Labour Party after 42 years of membership for the sorts of reasons that Peter Nielsen complained about in his letter (You Say, March 22) and the sort of people who have removed him as Labour candidate for Claines for writing it.

As an active member and official of the Transport and General Workers' Union for many years, representing workers in the public sector and who has seen what "reform" means, that should surprise nobody.

Quite simply, Tony Blair is a Tory who is continuing the work of Margaret Thatcher as he has admitted himself over his planned "reforms" of the NHS. Just what were Blair's income tax cuts for in past Budgets, now that he now has to increase taxes on everybody through National Insurance? Giving to the rich and taking from the poor, by the look of it.

It is particularly galling to see Labour MPs, including our own, touting for sponsorship from trade unions and then supporting policies that stab their members in the back. We should remind ourselves that initiatives such as PFIs, for example, will be swallowing up much of the increased NHS spending in repayments for the next 30 years. Will this return a risk-free 15 per cent profit to the investors?

Mr Nielsen was correct in saying that "New" Labour has left its historic boundaries and moved to the right.

Blair and his friends in Worcester will not be happy until the trade unions have been destroyed and socialists like Mr Nielsen thrown out of the party - which was, of course, the fate that befell Ken Livingstone.

JOHN JONES,

Worcester.