Hain calls for an end to NHS 'permanent revolution'

A cabinet minister has called for an end to the "permanent revolution" in hospitals and demanded limits to the use of the private sector in the National Health Service.

Peter Hain, a candidate for the Labour deputy leadership, gave a scathing assessment of his government's performance on health. Speaking at a hustings in Sheffield, he said: "A month from now Labour will have a new leader and, frankly, we all need to up our game. We've been playing like the reserves recently. In a host of areas we've allowed the Tories to make the running."

The Northern Ireland Secretary said there should be a moratorium on structural change and reorganisation within the NHS.

"The health service doesn't need to be in a state of permanent revolution in order to deliver. It's time to let the health service settle down and time to let NHS staff get on with the job."

He spoke out as a left-leaning think-tank said ministers should not be allowed to intervene in local plans to merge or close hospitals. The Institute for Public Policy Research said Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, should be stripped of the power to approve such changes or to refer them to an independent panel.

Gordon Brown was accused of getting an "easy ride" from Labour activists over Iraq at the Sheffield hustings by the leader of the city council after the subject was not raised until 45 minutes into the meeting. Jan Wilson then asked the prime minister-in-waiting how he would tackle the "big perception issue" of Britain's involvement in the country.

He said: "We can continue to have a debate about what happened, but the most important thing for me is how we move on to build political reconciliation and ensure people have a stake in the future of Iraq."

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