David Chaytor (Your Letters, August 8) denies having done a U-turn on the question of support for the policy of foundation hospitals. He says that his "opposition and that of many colleagues . . . was effective in bringing about . . . improvements to the Government's Bill".

In other words they went from a position of "opposition" to one of "support", clearly a complete change of direction; a U-turn, in fact.

Unfortunately, Mr Chaytor does not go into detail about the "improvements" that he claims have been inserted into the Bill to make it acceptable to him. There's an old saying that "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear". What bothers me over this issue is that it seems that David Chaytor, along with many other well-meaning Labour MPs, either has not read or does not understand the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).

This is an agreement being promoted by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which will bring about the privatisation of all services at present in the public sector, services such as health, education, social services. In fact, wherever the privateers think they can make a profit out of us.

The policy proposed by the Government regarding foundation hospitals will, inevitably, lead to the privatisation of the NHS. Mr Chaytor admits that the "first set of proposals ran the risk of re-introducing the internal market". I have seen no evidence that that is still not the case.

To pose the question of Tory support or opposition to justify your argument is surely naive. They are in opposition, so of course they will oppose. If, however, they were ever to come to power (heaven forbid) they would implement what they now oppose.

P. KAISERMAN