Blair slams 'nasty' Tory campaign

Link: BBC NEWS

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." In a 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."