Do They Intend to Privatise Great Britain?
The problem of having public assets (or state-run ownership) is they are rich for the picking by the private sector. They are cash-cows, perfect for breaking apart and asset stripping.
This concept of deregulating public-owned companies was first put forward by the Tories in the late 70s and early 80s. When British Telecom, Water, British Gas and electricity giants N-power were all privatized. Along with British Rail and about half a dozen others. (Visit the Guardian's Comment is free for more about privatization during the 80s.)
| The famous 1986 "Tell Sid" British Gas Privatization campaign. |
Now we have the slow but steady breaking down of the NHS, the Police, the probation service, and all aspects of the welfare state. The government seem obligated to deregulate the whole of Britain.
Once we have the devolution of Ireland and Wales (with their own parliament -like Scotland- then PLC Britain could almost be a reality.
The Nanny state will turn into the forgotten state. Or worse, just another satellite state of Europe or the US. PLC Britain will be as ripe for takeover as the public owned companies are currently. And just like the post-privatised state-run organisations, PLC Britain will inevitably be run into the ground with a loss for all British Tax payers.
PLC Britain won't be a utopia. Just ask the workers for any privatised company. There will be uncertainty and injustice which far outweighs those of present British justice.
If you want to see policing by the likes of G4S, and a government run like one of Lord Sugar's companies, and the NHS sponsored by Glaxo or Bupa, then keep supporting the present coalition. Or if like myself, you want a return to a Great Britain then vote out the deregulators of out one Great country.
UPDATE:
The new buzzword for privatization by the backdoor is 'outsourcing'. Whenever you see this word in the press connected to public owned companies, they're craftily making it easier to sell-off the public sector!
You have been warned!
Cyberpunk65
I think it's unfair to generalise and say all privatising is bad, it depends on the specific area.
ReplyDeleteAs an ex-Conservative voter (in 80s) I believed in the hype: More efficient. Less cost to the taxpayer. Get rich quick baloney. I was a company director a, player on the stock market. I bought into the Yuppie bit and thought Maggie's Britain made perfect sence.
DeleteThirty years on i know better. Privatisation is only good for the fat cats. I know about free market enterprise and deregulation. Hindsight is a wonderful viewpoint. History doesn't lie. None of the privatised industries are in a better state now than they were before they were sold-off.
Privatisation is like a church that has been taken over by its congregation. If they decide to sell the lead off the roof; then when it rains they get wet. Its as simple ad that.
If it ain't broke don't try to fix it!