Blair plans attacked by union boss

Mr Speirs was speaking at the STUC's youth conference

The general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has delivered a harsh attack on Tony Blair's controversial plans for private investment in public services.

The criticism from Bill Speirs came as he addressed delegates on the final day of the STUC's youth conference in Glasgow.

Mr Speirs said the prime minister's plans to fund improvements in public services with private sector money are the "coward's way out".

He said handing over the running of public services to the private sector is not a "tough choice", it is a "shirking of duty".

Bill Speirs: "Coward's way out"

"There are many ways in which public services could be improved: but the key to those improvements, alongside more resources, is better trained, better led and better rewarded public servants," Mr Speirs said.

"It is by giving all public servants, at all levels, more responsibility for ensuring that services are delivered effectively."

Mr Speirs also highlighted cases of public-private partnerships which he says have failed, such as the Passport Agency.

He said: "Fortunately, here in Scotland we have a political situation which gives greater scope than south of the border for the rejection of private sector obsessions, and the development of a real partnership to promote public services, a partnership based on people, not profit.

Union resistance

"We have a first minister who has made it clear that Scotland will not be bound by the dogmas of Westminster.

"And I believe we have a Scottish community which, if we in the trade union movement campaign strongly and constructively, will back public sector delivery of public services, if necessary at the ballot box."

The GMB union has already announced that it is reducing its contributions to the Labour party in protest at Tony Blair's proposals, but the prime minister has made it clear he will push ahead regardless of union resistance.