In times of crisis, the Government wheels out its biggest weapon - Trust-me Tony. Accusations of New Labour's mismanagement of the National Health Service reached fever pitch last week.

There was only one thing to do. Mr Blair promptly booked a television studio from where he delivered words of reassurance to soothe the fretting nation.

Boiled down, his message is this: 'Have faith. We will deliver.'

But the public's belief is wavering. There are grave doubts about the trustworthiness of a Government which so ruthlessly stamps on any voices of dissent.

Lord Winston's heartfelt and controversial remarks about the NHS were certainly an embarrassment to Mr Blair. But was it really necessary to bully the medical expert into a retraction, and virtually accuse the New Statesman magazine of distorting his words? This bout of vicious spin doctoring backfired when tapes of the interview, confirming Lord Winston's remarks, were released.

The public is not stupid. We can see when the NHS is struggling to cope. What people want from Mr Blair's Government is a practical strategy to improve the health service.

After two years of tinkering, there are signs that Labour is prepared to undertake this massive task. Its willingness to agree inflation-busting pay rises to nurses is one. Targeting senior, experienced nurses for the biggest increases is a welcome attempt to retain the services of trained people. These pay rises must be funded in full by Whitehall, however, rather than by cash-strapped NHS Trusts.

By far the most significant commitment made by Mr Blair is to raise Government spending on the NHS to the European Union average. This will cost billions of pounds.

A survey suggests that three-quarters of the public are prepared to forego income tax cuts to fund a better health service. But the public is notoriously fickle over tax. Mr Blair will have a tough task to find the money to fulfil his pledge - but find it he must or he will never be trusted again.

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