Blair slams 'nasty' Tory campaign

The MRSA bug, pictured here, has become an election issue

Tony Blair has accused the Tories of running a "nasty and unscrupulous" campaign after they admitted producing misleading MRSA leaflets.

Mr Blair made the comments as he unveiled Labour's plans for community hospitals on Saturday.

The leaflets were criticised by health managers for exaggerating the number of cases of the hospital superbug.

Michael Howard apologised for the error. However the Tories said MRSA had got worse under Labour.

"It is a nasty and unscrupulous campaign and it is descending into increasing desperation as time goes on Tony Blair Fact check: Hospital deaths Labour briefing

Mr Blair said the Conservatives were relying on their claims not being put under scrutiny.

He said claims on MRSA had been challenged by hospital trusts, claims on crime had been challenged by the police, and claims on asylum did not marry with United Nations figures.

"It is a nasty and unscrupulous campaign and it is descending into increasing desperation as time goes on," he said.

"They do not deserve to get away with the campaign being fought in this way."

But the Conservatives in turn accused Labour of "negative" tactics.

"Tony Blair has lost touch. He wants the issues that matter to be swept under the carpet. It makes him angry when he is held to account for his failure and will do all he can to divert people's attention," said the Conservative health spokesperson, Andrew Lansley.

Health Secretary John Reid, appearing with the prime minister, accused the Conservatives of a "systematic deception".

"The Tories want to traduce and run down the NHS in the public perception because actually they want to run down the NHS."

Apology

I'm very sorry we made that mistake Michael Howard

In speech at his constituency in Folkestone, Mr Howard said: "We sent out a letter and it referred to the MRSA rates in the local hospital trust when it should have referred to the local hospital trusts.

"And that was a mistake and I'm very sorry we made that mistake.

"Mr Blair may be angry about the omission of a letter 's'. I'm angry about the 5,000 people who die every year from hospital-acquired infections in our country, that's what I'm angry about."

Dr Liam Fox, Conservative co-chairman, said the leaflets would be reprinted.

But he said it was true that the number of people who died from hospital acquired infections had risen under Labour.

The Conservatives would drive down MRSA rates by giving matrons the power to close down infected wards, he said.

"At the moment nobody is in charge of hospital infections."

Target seats

The leaflets - about MRSA infection rates in local hospitals - have been sent out to voters across the country in areas which the Tories are targeting.

In North Yorkshire, residents were told there had been 247 cases of the superbug in a year at a local hospital when there had been six.

Residents in Twickenham, south west London, received letters saying there had been 166 MRSA cases, but the two local hospitals had only 60 in 12 months.

Several other trusts have made similar complaints to NHS bosses.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Paul Burstow said: "This is fighting the election by frightening elderly people for no good reason."

Community hospitals

Mr Reid also announced plans for 50 community hospitals offering diagnostic tests, day surgery and out-patient facilities.

He said the hospitals would be situated closer to where people lived and worked.

Mr Blair said there was the "clearest possible divide" between Labour and Conservative health policy.

He rounded on the Conservative plan to give patients half the cost of their operation if they opt to go private.

He described the policy as "elitist, unfair, divisive and wholly contrary to the founding principles of the NHS".

Mr Lansley, for the Conservatives, dismissed Labour claims that his party would introduce new charges into the NHS.

"No NHS patient will have to pay for their operation, therefore the basis on which Labour say our proposals are illegal is without foundation.

The Right to Choose policy means that the NHS and private sectors would work together to cut Labour's one million plus waiting lists faster."

Mr Howard also used his Folkestone speech to promise that pensioners would be better off under a Conservative Government. He also pledged to support "hard-working families".

The Liberal Democrats publicised their plans to scrap university tuition fees, with president Simon Hughes taking to the river with students for a boat trip on the Thames.