Letter: Blair's public spirit

Sir: Tony Blair's latest assault on public sector employees only serves to illustrate the wholly unnecessary gulf which is now emerging between the New Labour leadership and its core supporters ("Outrage as Blair attacks public sector", 7 July).

Public sector workers have responded very positively to those forms of change which have led to improved provision for service users. However, they have rightly resisted the crass forms of managerialism which continue to plague many of our schools, hospitals and universities.

If Tony Blair is serious in his desire to modernise and improve public services, he would do well to engage constructively with public sector workers, rather than take every opportunity to rubbish the contribution they make to the creation of a fairer society.

ROBERT M PAGE

Senior Lecturer in Social Policy

University of Leicester