Tory troubles

Once again the Tories have shot themselves in the foot. Just when you think the Conservative Party might just be the party for our country, David Cameron suggests ideas that will put doubt into the minds of the many potential Tory voters he needs to gain power (your report, 13 February).

Introducing co-ops in health, education etc, with the potential for banker-style bonuses and which could introduce competition and business practices at the expense of the patient, with less hours, huge bonuses and salary hikes for doctors, is a recipe for divisiveness among millions of public professionals.

The only focus on education and health should be to improve all services. The Tories must hope for a quick election call before they destroy their chances further with more unwelcome policies.

IAIN J McCONNELL

Speedybank

Gifford, East Lothian

Bruce Skivington and Gavin Fleming (Letters, 15 February) ignore the realpolitik behind the Tory game.

Conservatives realise Scotland is stony ground for them and fertile for Labour, so if they can persuade Scottish voters in the Westminster election that the Tories will leave Scotland well alone and help them in any small way to increase the number of SNP MPs at the expense of the number of Labour MPs elected, then Cameron's Conservatives in England would have an easy run.

If Scotland were later to go totally independent, the Conservative Party would be in clover – at least until they muck things up or the electorate thinks it's that time again to see if the alternative lot can do any better.

RONALD J RANKIN

Coates House

Dalkeith, Midlothian