TWO years ago, the then Shadow Scottish Secretary, George Robertson, angrily denounced Tory plans to privatise air traffic control as outrageous and disgraceful.

Now, the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, has announced New Labour's plans to privatise 51 per cent of air traffic control.

Obviously, now that they are in power, Labour have had to face up to government realities instead of the Socialist fantasies they talked about in opposition.

Although, judging from the faces of their back-benchers, they still have their work cut out to persuade them that to privatise such sensitive industries is a wise move.

That is hardly surprising as, in opposition, Labour MPs were encouraged to attack privatisation as evil Tory dogma.

Obviously, it is a massive U-turn by the new Labour government. I welcome them into the real world.

J LEE (Mrs), Ramsgreave Drive, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.