I M disappointed that Haringey TUC chairman Keith Flett defended the council s motion on NHS services and St Ann s Hospital (H&H Broadway letters, August 16) and claims that the vast majority support his views. When he refers to the vast majority I assu

I'M disappointed that Haringey TUC chairman Keith Flett defended the council's motion on NHS services and St Ann's Hospital (H&H Broadway letters, August 16) and claims that the vast majority support his views.

When he refers to 'the vast majority' I assume he means trade union members aligned to the TUC. However, ordinary members of the public should rightly feel sceptical about the motion since it marks a shared aim with the health trusts to asset-strip St Ann's Hospital, as evidenced by the council's supporters in seats of power on key consultative bodies (to smooth things along); the revealing statements in numerous documents; the recent bad experience of down-trodden local people not being consulted when St Ann's General Hospital was given to Barnet Enfield Haringey Mental Health Trust in 2001; and, for good measure, pointers such as this disagreeable utterance from the former chair of the now defunct Health & Society Services Scrutiny Panel: "I very much favour the building of houses on St Ann's Hospital and am strongly against it being retained solely for health provision".

Battle is looming between asset strippers and local people over health services and St Ann's Hospital. Which side is the TUC for?

MARIO PETROU

Chairman, Save St Ann's Hospital Campaign Group