Protest marches in London and on the south coast offer a taste of what is to come as the Con-Dem assault on health services continues, a leading NHS expert warned today.
Health Emergency director John Lister commented after thousands took to the streets to oppose plans to cut crucial health services.
Around 5,000 demonstrated in Ealing over the plight of four NHS north-west London Trust hospitals, while 2,500 marched in Eastbourne as cuts loom at the town's district general hospital.
And Mr Lister believes the events marked the beginning of the public fightback.
"I think the general public are waking up to the fact that local services are under threat," he said.
"I think that this is the start and there will be more of them.
"The financial squeeze will drive cuts tighter and if you let things go now, all you encourage them to do is to come back for more later."
Foreign Minister Alistair Burt's admission that the Cameron government has "supported" a survey of attitudes to US drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas amounts to a tacit admission of British involvement.