Letter: The Tory secret

Sir: Since 1979 I have long been puzzled by the Tories' fierce determination to privatise all aspects of public service in the face of evidence that there may be people who would not benefit from their reforming zeal.

I now, courtesy of Keith Joseph, have the answer. In 1976 he wrote that "the blind, unplanned wisdom of the market ... is overwhelmingly superior to the well-researched, rational, systematic, well-meaning, co-operative, science-based, forward looking, statistically respectable plans of government" (Stranded In The Middle Ground, 1976).

So that's all right then!

Michael Holohan

Salford