John Reid

A Conservative government would run down public services, John Reid has said.

The health secretary was seeking to capitalise on Howard Flight's comments that the Tory party was not revealing the true extent of its financial plans.

The Conservatives have strongly denied any suggestion of further cuts, however.

Party leader Michael Howard has forced the Arundel and South Downs MP to step down at the next election in a bid to distance his party from the comments.

Spending cuts

But Reid said Flight's statements "reveal much more than the extent of Tory cuts".

"It illustrated once and for all that the Tory party has not changed," he claimed.

"That it would take us back to the bad old days of run-down services and massive cuts.

"That it remains as extreme as ever. In some ways even more brutally opposed to public services.

"Howard Flight's comments show the absolutely centrality of massive public spending cuts to the Tory plan for Britain.

"Michael Howard may hope he has put a lid on this with the sacking of Howard Flight. He has not.

"Let us be absolutely clear. Mr Flight was sacked for telling the truth. His views are not exceptional among the Tory leadership."

Health row

Reid went on to target Conservative plans to "introduce the system of co-payment and charges" in the NHS.

"This represents a new form of charge for hospital operations which would be part paid for by the NHS and part paid for by the patient," he said.

"The Tories will use the money diverted from the NHS as a subsidy - but only for those who can afford to pay thousands of pounds out of their own pockets in the first place."

But that claim brought about a sharp rejection by the Conservatives.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said that under a Conservative government access to health service treatment "will remain free as now".

"Patients will be treated according to need, not ability to pay, nor distorted by government targets," he said.

"The big difference between Conservatives and Labour is that only the Conservatives will reduce bureaucracy and waste and get resources into frontline care," Lansley added.