Roll up, roll up place your predictions

Most other European railway networks are nationalised. Or, as someone pointed out to me the other day, Britains railway network is 'nationalised', it's just that the nation that owns it is the French'. I can't back that up, by the way, but the guy does work for the railways and I don't think he was joking. One problem may be that, when contracts are up for renewal, we will have to also buy the engines/rolling stock etc, but I can't see that as a huge problem. We almost lost the last train manufacturer in this country under the Cameron government but, thankfully, due to a lot of us marching on the streets etc it was saved.

Emily Thornberry who looks down on the white working class, sneers at hard working white van man flying the Union Jack. Hypocrite.

As I understand it, Tegan the responsibility for the actual physical rail network is 'nationalised' and has been since the private company which initially ran it after privatisation were held responsible for some accidents.

The rolling stock is all leased and, yes, none of it British made.

Services are operated by individual companies who 'buy' the franchise and expect to make a profit on it.

You might be interested in this report, research carried out by Manchester University. It's long but very readable. It has a good summary of findings. It shows that we subsidise the franchisees quite heavily. So, at the moment we, the taxpayer, pay a great deal for our rail network and get next to nothing back.

www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/rail-privatisation-is-great-train-robbery-finds-cresc-report/

Thanks Maizie. We are a railway family living in a railway city, so it's subject close to our hearts.

I will leave the party politics to those who have a party. I'm a proud mercenaries- used to be called a floating voter, don't think I've ever voted for the same party twice in a row. Anyway my prediction Tory win with reduced majority - I think Mrs M lost her gamble and will have weakened her hand in Brexit and her position as leader.

I think you are properly right * howcome*

I predict a hung Parliament.
Two new leaders.

and Diane Abbott shuffled off to the House of Lords which she will then fight to abolish.

ninny Emily Thornberry's brother is a builder and white van man. She is not a snob. She made a misjudged joke about a man who had covered his house in Union Jacks (which entirely covered his windows).
She removed it very quickly when she realised the way people had taken it - but several of his neighbours then said that they agreed with her.

jaycee

ninny She sounds like the people who sneer at the unemployed, feckless teenagers or people who give their children Greggs' sausage rolls. Or most Conservative MPS, who look down on the rest of us, but haven't been caught out. What was it Amber Rudd said about her own constituents? "You get people on benefits, who prefer to be on benefits by the seaside." Nothing to do with the fact that councils move people to temporary accommodation in run down B & Bs, of course.

Or Boris Johnson, who just thinks he's a superior being, because he can quote in Latin.

I don't particularly care whether I like somebody doing a responsible job. I want to know they can do the job and I'm convinced Thornberry would do a better job than the bumbling Brexiteers.

Mr. Corbyn has commendable ambitions, and clearly wants to provide everything for everyone. This will result in massive borrowing and our children/grandchildren will be the ones to suffer from his policies. He is trying to create Utopia, and that translates as'nowhere' which is where I fear we will all be in a couple of years if he wins. How he can think that a 'modest' increase in tax for the top 5% will pay for practically everything? This scheme is constantly quoted whenever he is asked about funding. History shows us that Labour cannot manage money, and anyone who lived through the seventies in this country will be remembering the winter of discontent and 25% inflation. I would love to see what he proposes coming to fruition for all, but that isn't going to happen without long term financial problems for all. I was told when I was young that if you don't vote Labour at twenty you have no heart, and if you are still voting Labour at thirty you have no brain.

That's not true Rosina. The Conservatives have consistently borrowed more than the Labour Party. The national debt is now almost double what it was in 2010. Austerity is a failure,but the British public has been sold the myth for so long that it believes it.

In any case, borrowing is not necessary to fund all spending, because most of the spending returns to the Treasury in the form of taxation.

This video explains how it works...

realmedia.press/watch-ann-pettifor-show-money-tree-ge2017/

I fear that, despite her abysmal campaign, May will be returned with a substantial majority. Then she will preside over the death of the NHS and lead us out of the EU in a really aggressive way, to the detriment of our economy. Not to mention the dwindling value of the state pension when they break the triple lock. I think many people have realised that Corbyn isn't the bogeyman, when they have heard him speak, but a lot get their news second-hand. I'm also concerned that some potential Labour voters, particularly the young, won't turn out to vote.

149 economists, who between them know quite a bit about economics, think that Labour has the better manifesto:

www.theguardian.com/news/2017/jun/03/the-big-issue-labour-manifesto-what-economy-needs

How ignorant to think that anyone who reads the DM is also ignorant.

I agree with everything Anya has written.

Here's to a better future, hopefully under a labour government.

Mr. Cornyn has some great plans but where is he going to get the money from

He'll get it from the Magic Money Tree, which (contrary to what TM says) does exist. Please see my previous links.

I don't usually talk about politics, but as I was filling my postal vote in today I noticed that one of the candidates for my area (Gateshead, Tyne and Wear), has Westminster as her address. Strikes me that she will not be easy to reach by the locals up here if they need to see her. And I have never heard of her, so know nothing at all about her. Nothing through the door from any party except Labour.

I also agree with Anya. I didn't think much of JC to begin but have grown to respect him, especially after listening to on Friday night's Question Time. I don't usually read the DM (horrid paper) and certainly never buy it, but I did read it at my local coffee shop on Saturday and was absolutely flabbergasted by their reporting of JC's performance on Question Time.
I am also starting to lose respect for TM.

I don't much care for either of the main parties, nor their leaders.

But what I really hope for it that whichever party gets in, it is with a big enough majority that they can just get on with implementing their manifesto pledges.

The worst outcome of all would be another awful coalition. I think after the last debacle, it has been proved that coalitions just don't work.

You cannot rule by committee

But not so much of a majority that they get too big for their boots and forget about the sections of the population who didn't vote for them but are nevertheless still part of their responsibility.

That hasnt worked with Brexit though elegran

One of the biggest problems in any country [and even those in power agree] is lack of a strong opposition. And, yes; as a Labour voter I did blame Corbyn for that. But I now feel that Labour had lost it's political identity and the fact that many [especially the young] feel that there are other ways to govern a country that don't include austerity cuts etc gives me some hope for the future. I still blame Corbyn for failing to convince with regards his views on brexit, but I no longer blame his as much as I blame Cameron [now you see me now you don't] for instigating it in the first place.

Have read all your comments with interest and am so pleased that all of you grans show such an interest and intelligence. Whatever party you choose to vote for it's good that you have such a good understanding of the issues.

I can think of a few people I would prefer to have as leaders in both parties but looking at the pros and cons May has the track record that I prefer. Better educated (mostly through the state system) and a good degree and she has not shown any sympathy to the IRA or other terrorists. Corbyn has been privately educated but ended up with two A levels at E or F grade. Corbyn has shown sympathy to the IRA and to terrorists. He has continually voted against shooting terrorists. Is he the right person to lead the country at this time.

dizzy in answer to your question

Yes