• MICHAEL McElligott (Labour can’t sell its ideas to desperate people, May 12) and Patrick Edlin (NHS saved my life, May 12) both rightly highlight the crisis in the NHS caused by the Tory government’s programme of cuts, closures, underfunding, privatisation and Jeremy Hunt’s disgraceful mistreatment of doctors and nurses.

We must never forget Mr Hunt’s boast that he would force NHS staff “to work like the Chinese”.

Significantly, despite other changes to her cabinet, Theresa May has specifically kept Mr Hunt in a place to run (or to run down) the NHS.

A Tory victory on June 8 means more cuts and closures, increased underfunding, a substantial worsening of pay and conditions for staff, but most of all the Tories will claim it gives them a mandate to dramatically accelerate their ongoing privatisation of the NHS, including handing parts of it over to American healthcare companies.

Labour has pledged to defend the NHS and stop privatisation. On June 8, we must all vote to defend the NHS.

PETE GILMAN, N1