Renationalise the Utilities and Public Transport

Cus Geezer · Post by **Cus Geezer** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:48 pm

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3 ... 750&ref=nf

For anyone out there who, like me is miffed at why if it's good enough for banks and giving my taxpayers money to pay for the bonus of some banker, why it can't be applied to my energy and supplier, train line, or water company.

gas_face_gooner · Post by **gas_face_gooner** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:18 pm

like the idea but never gonna happen!!

now we have sold the energy supplies to foriegn hands how would we get them back and why whould the foreign companies wanna sell them back1

Cus Geezer · Post by **Cus Geezer** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:05 am

gas_face_gooner wrote:like the idea but never gonna happen!!

now we have sold the energy supplies to foriegn hands how would we get them back and why whould the foreign companies wanna sell them back1

Well they wouldn't have a choice in the matter.

A lot of the utilities and public transport prior to 1945 was privately owned, the mere passing of legislation puts in back in the hands of the state whether they want to sell up or not.

gas_face_gooner · Post by **gas_face_gooner** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:36 am

and why would government pass this legislation?

Radford149 · Post by **Radford149** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:16 am

great idea but i can't ever see it happening

Cus Geezer · Post by **Cus Geezer** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:55 pm

Radford149 wrote:great idea but i can't ever see it happening

Would you have forseen the government nationalising a bank two years ago?

Cus Geezer · Post by **Cus Geezer** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:00 pm

gas_face_gooner wrote:and why would government pass this legislation?

1. Popularity - which is what governments need if they ultimately want to stay in government. 85% of people feel they are being ripped off by the private energy companies, 76% of rail users also feel this. The public would be more reassured of a publicly accountable state owned providers of these services that is publicly accountable, as opposed to accountable to it's shareholders.

2. Fairness and economic sense - the idea of the invisible hand of the market keeping prices in check doesn't apply to the energy companies.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 177628.ece

The big six are in a cartel which is contriving to keep prices high.

Our rail fares are also the most expensive in Europe.

If a government is not seen to be acting in the interests of fairness with regard to it's citizens, again it loses popularity.

3. Keeping control over the UK economy - higher energy prices have helped to push inflation to a 16 year high, partly because of a rise in the price of oil. Rising inflation is not good for a government's popularity.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008 ... meraffairs

Price of oil has fallen again though energy companies are failing to pass this on to customers.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... umers.html

Radford149 · Post by **Radford149** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:20 pm

Cus Geezer wrote:
Radford149 wrote:great idea but i can't ever see it happening
Would you have forseen the government nationalising a bank two years ago?

no but it has taken a calamitous event for that to occur and no doubt the shares will be sold in time so it is not nationalisation in the true sense of the word. its basically a glorified share issue

Radford149 · Post by **Radford149** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:25 pm

whilst i would love for us to own our own utilities the fact remains that this government has seen the public sector grow out of proportion to what it produces. this government wastes money no-end. the bureaucracy and red tape is a scandal. add to that they backed the Olympic bid (don't get me started on that) and we basically have a government that people don't trust.

and that's coming from someone who's politics is very left of centre