However, I do criticise their reluctance to modernise and accept that change is needed. We had it with the fire fighters a few years ago and we're going through it with the NHS now as well.
Just a minor point for the sake of accuracy. The NHS was first "modernised" in 1974. It was modernised again around about 1984. Then again in 1992-04. It was modernised again in 2002. This evolved through further modernisation until it became indistinguishable from its 2002 incarnation around about 2006. At which point it was decided to "modernise" it again. This time everything seemed to be working well so it was deemed in 2010 to be in need of "modernisation". Of all the public services, the NHS is the one that has been modernised the most. And with alarming regularity.
But never let the facts get in the way of a bit of ideology...
And surely the reason we ended up with a coalition was precisely because
no government was elected on a manifesto of austerity??