Blair is digging in because privatisation through PPP and PFI schemes is central to New Labour's plans for health, education, transport and the whole of the public sector. Mass opposition to privatisation fuelled public support for the one-day strike by tube workers on 5 February. That kind of action is needed urgently. Tube workers have the power to kill privatisation stone dead. That was the message from a meeting of union activists on the tube last week.
Ballot papers are due to be returned by the end of next week.
New Labour's only hope for getting privatisation through is stringing out negotiations between the unions and tube management, and between Prescott and Ken Livingstone, until it gets a compromise. The tube unions should not let that happen.