Health unions, threatening strike action over government health reforms, have sought an urgent meeting with Tony Blair to complain about job cuts and reduced services.

The unions yesterday launched a campaign which will emphasise the damaging impact on local services caused by "the alarming pace of ill-advised changes in the NHS". The campaign, which will include a lobby of parliament this autumn, seems likely to widen differences in the Labour party, already rattled by internal dissent over the growing privatisation of health and education services, Middle East policies and the leadership succession.