IN reply to Ken Houlahan who claims great success for Labour’s local campaign against the proposed closure of ward six at Bishop Auckland General Hospital (HAS, Oct 17), let’s be absolutely clear that privatisation of the NHS commenced under the last Labour government.

Let’s be clear that Bishop Auckland hospital was built under Labour only because it was politically expedient to do so. It was built using private sector money, cost £67m and is a millstone around the neck of the NHS for 27 years as high costs have to be repaid.

Experts said the catchment area was too small to support and train the consultants needed and that it was a white elephant. Labour ignored the experts.

The hospital was built to fail.

The 2017 General Election saw the 3,508 majority of the Bishop Auckland Labour MP Helen Goodman slashed to just 502 votes – a clear sign that the voters recognised the failures of their MP.

Let’s be absolutely clear that a Labour government led by a terrorist-supporting Jeremy Corbyn will introduce hard left socialist policies that will set up our country to fail but, as Mr Houlahan’s comments show, Labour will hide behind smoke and mirrors and blame its failures on any one else but itself. Let’s be absolutely clear about that.

John Walker, Newton Aycliffe