AN Enfield MP has been accused of being out of touch with his constituents over reforms to the NHS.

Nick de Bois last week wrote to his fellow Tory MPs, outlining a series of principles he believes they should promote and fight to keep in the Health and Social Care Bill currently passing through Parliament.

His so-called “red lines” appear to be a rallying cry to Conservatives - to battle back against a growing tide of negative statements on NHS reforms from Liberal Democrats.

But Councillor Alev Cazimoglu, chairman of the health scrutiny committee on Enfield Council, said following a meeting with residents last week, that Mr de Bois' sentiments appeared at odds with the views of residents.

She said: “I don't think the local MP is reflecting the views of the general public.

“This is a listening exercise and the local opposition was very clear at the meeting. For Mr de Bois the day after to put out his views did not seem to reflect what people in Enfield are thinking.”

Mr de Bois' intervention came after a strongly worded speech by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, who pledged no back-door privatisation of the NHS and reject “arbitrary deadlines” for changes.

But Mr de Bois insisted the April 2013 date to hand over health service commissioning to GPs should be adhered to and called for the Government to not stand in the way of “any qualified provider” delivering NHS services.

Lynne Featherstone, a coalition government equlaituies minister, and Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, on Friday said Mr de Bois's intervention was not helpful, and reinforced Mr Clegg's position.

She said: “Lib Dems are quite clear they are fighting tooth and nail to make sure the health service is free at the point of need, and there is no privatisation, race to the bottom or cherry-picking.”

She added she would support a trial of the reforms being proposed and rejected the idea of “false deadlines” for any changes.