Let's talk nationalisation

Let's face it, much of our traditional industry is in the hands of other nationalities. Selling off UK companies was encouraged by previous governments (sadly, including Labour)in the interests of globalisation. So now we are in a situation where "foreigners" could cut off our oil, gas, electicity and water, damage our transport system even further and generally bring the UK to a halt.
If a private company can make a profit (and they wouldn't run the company if they couldn't) why can't the state? Possibly because the state would have to pay decent wages which, as far as I can see, is the only way the private company can do it. But then higher wages would give people more to spend, gain the government more tax and help the economy.
You may have gathered I'm all for renationalisation ASAP.

MaisieD - I'm with you all the way re Yorkshire buses. Incidentally my spellchecker is happy with both buses and busses but buses definitely looks right and busses doesn't.

Apparently, there's an article in the Times that rail privatisation has cost an extra £50bn. I don't have a subscription, so I can't read it, but this is what the Metro is reporting:
metro.co.uk/2017/06/12/privatisation-has-added-50-billion-to-the-cost-of-running-britains-railways-6702713/

I must be living on Mars....private rail best thing that ever happened. I use the rail service a lot and have been able to keep my ticket prices to a minimum because of competition which would not have happened if nationalised. My train was late once and I was compensated with a refund of my full fare, another one was cancelled recently because of a derailment, I was offered an alternative route and was compensated (full fare)for the inconvenience. No strikes, and no tired voices over the tannoy!! Southern Rail has its problems because of Unions!! I rest my case.

Do you have more than one train company running the same routes on your line,*W11girl*?

Obviousy, you're not living on Mars, but the majority of routes operate a monopoly.

I'm on Mars with you too then W11girl !Fairly regularly use trains up here in the north and a couple of weeks ago did a return trip to Scotland and changed x2 and all 3 trains clean comfy and ticket inspector and refreshments staff going backwards and forwards.That's my usual experience and way before this election its cross my mind how much better trains are now to the ones I remember.Also regularly visit DD cross country by train.However I am travelling off peak generally and not commuting at rush hour so probably not the best to comment.I can't imagine how horrendous the experience down in the South East has been for those trying to get to work during the recent Union dispute.

I agree that it's sometimes possible to travel on different routes, if you're not bothered by changes and the time taken. However, with a few exceptions, the routes themselves are monopolies.

If I want to travel from Cambridge to Manchester, there are two routes - via London or via Peterborough, but they are totally different routes.

If I want to travel to London from my nearest station, there is only one feasible route.

Train companies can't just suddenly produce extra track, if demand increases, as a normal company would increase production.

From twitter:

Washerwoman try a peak time train and you will have a different experience. You don't see refreshments because they can't get through the people sitting in the spaces between the carriages. Of course the ticket inspector can't get through either. Travelled from London to Newcastle without seeing one perhaps I shouldn't have bothered with a ticket!

It is a bit like people who own an area of shopping space. While I was back in UK I visited the local covered market and found many 'stalls' empty and closed - eventually I asked someone still trading if the building was closing down due to the redevelopment going on - but no - a new owner living in Hong Kong had upped the rents so much people could not afford to trade there. The building has a200+ year lease. Same thing is happening here in a local hopping mall - rising prices are seeing all the businesses close - even those which seemed very successful.
I cannot see the point of being greedy and overpricing.

Welshwife The reason for that is probably the same as the reason so many residential properties in London are empty. The appreciation on the asset makes it a worthwhile investment for the owner. Sometimes, tenants can cause the value of a property to fall.

Awful for the inhabitants of the towns though.

Have you seen the news about Stagecoach wanting to give up the North East franchise, as it will go bust if it continues for even a few months?

Surely a case for the government taking over properly again.

I thought that Grayling was giving them back to them on 'new' terms? Wasn't that what Andrew Adonis getting rather cross about a week or so ago?

I never thought I'd have to ask you this, dj, but have you a link?

weownit.org.uk/node/1725

Not the link you asked for, Maizie, but just as important.

my.labourlist.org/page/m/2c9aec3a/13fa0d4e/60f78f1c/34ad79f7/2528825489/VEsHDQ/

An excellent article here by Paul Mason.

I wonder what is the view of people who voted for brexit on nationalisation? If people wanted to "take back control" from Europe I would have thought they would support the idea of nationalisation, because it would be taking back control of our services into British hands, instead of European governments.

The CWU
‏Verified account @CWUnews
Feb 13

Those asking where the money to renationalise Royal Mail will come from are the same people who turned a blind eye when George Osbornes best man made £18m from the sale ?

Its our Royal Mail and under Labour we are taking it back #TheCWU ?

Is re-nationalisation of utilities the best solution, or even possible at this late stage? Not sure myself, it is hugely complicated.

But it is now clear that we are at then mercy of other countries for our major energy supplies- having sold it all to foreign companies, in the EU and out. Gas supplies are very low- and the price about to triple - the same could happen to other energy supplies, including oil = petrol and diesel. What then? If Brexit happens we will be totally isolated - will not be able to control supply and prices... What a mess.

If the government had continued supporting renewables we wouldn't be in such a mess.

weownit.org.uk/public-ownership/energy

Ecotricity is producing green gas using gas mills.
www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/our-green-gas
This is not encouraged by the government. It would prefer fracking, as we saw last night on QT.

I used £120 of gas last month. Really looking forward to the price tripling because of shortsighted government policy.

There are various energy cooperatives listed on the weownit link.
If you live in one of those areas it would definitely be worthwhile getting your energy from then, White Rose in Leeds area, Robin Hood Energy in Nottingham, etc.

I'm not up to speed on how the government policy has impacted the price of gas. Anyone got any links to share and start my education? Thanks.

weownit.org.uk/public-ownership/energy

One issue is that the government agreed that the huge gas storage plant could be shut down.