tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post6416917739117047253..comments2023-11-05T22:35:31.766+00:00Comments on Neil Clark: 'Free market' fanatics call for Welsh water privatisationNeil Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10479041156190090119noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-89538755759820748602008-12-02T20:31:00.000+00:002008-12-02T20:31:00.000+00:00Welsh Water used to be in private hands. But the p...Welsh Water used to be in private hands. But the privateers screwed up and it went bankrupt. And so it came back into public ownership.israelitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00503167896826742647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-40837035271850807132008-12-01T14:57:00.000+00:002008-12-01T14:57:00.000+00:00Martin as a strong supporter of co-operatives, I t...Martin as a strong supporter of co-operatives, I think that something like Galloway's suggestion would be very good for the Co-op (there is always a Tesco or an Asda nearby, for those who cannot afford it; there is bother over the Co-operative Party's continued use of Co-op premises) and the John Lewis Partnership (which, as much as anything else, includes Waitrose).David Lindsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06839882674758833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-82473381414093324512008-12-01T00:48:00.000+00:002008-12-01T00:48:00.000+00:00I'm not so sure the government could afford any mo...I'm not so sure the government could afford any more PFI schemes Derek. These massive hidden costs are coming around to bite, and according to one source the existing cost of serving them has risen by twenty-seven billion pounds in the past few weeks.<BR/><BR/>The truth is privatisation was never true privatisation; nobody was exposed to the rigours of the market that fevered marketeers tell us all about. Instead, the government, us, taxpayers, underwrote, subsidised, and oiled the way of these huge corporations from day one. If a few of them go bust, wait and see if the government doesn't just find that owning them and setting them up on a network rail model isn't better than expecting the brave market to pick up the pieces.<BR/><BR/>I think we'll see many more municipally and nationally owned transport industries, airports and co-ops fairly soon. <BR/><BR/>Now we need to ramp up nuclear power, reopen the coalmines on a cooperative basis--I liked Galloway's suggesting of buying Woolies and turning them into employee-owned shops on the John Lewis or Co-Operative society model today--and start sticking train lines everywhere.<BR/><BR/>Apologies to your green sensibilities. Great post, Neil and Charlie.Martin Meenaghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06092121503713511010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-4463853214952222102008-12-01T00:05:00.000+00:002008-12-01T00:05:00.000+00:00"That's sure to be a best-seller this Christmas, i..."That's sure to be a best-seller this Christmas, isn't it?"<BR/><BR/>No, because, after the utility bills have been paid, no one can afford to buy it.David Lindsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06839882674758833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17766817.post-43262678089129429532008-11-30T20:06:00.000+00:002008-11-30T20:06:00.000+00:00The present economic crisis, created by extending ...The present economic crisis, created by extending the market, is likely to be used to privatise more...see my post on this http://another-green-world.blogspot.com/2008/11/big-pharm-and-imf-to-privatise-nhs.htmlDerek Wallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05462511891409913195noreply@blogger.com