Fao Of Our Labour Supporters

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1593171-4.html
You seem to have missed this question. Helpfully I have provided a link. Can you tell us how Labour is going to re nationalise everything for free. Thanks.

[Gromit]

I have no idea, and can’t be bothered to look.

I note Tora that you favour Nationalising the railways. A very stupid Labour policy that get the Tora thumbs up.

Can you explain why you support nationalising the railways, but not curbing the rip-off foreign utilities companies ?

[ToraToraTora]

Gromit I do and I have but I haven't suggested they are simply confiscated. If you want to debate the railways start a new thread and I will happily contribute. For this and my other thread I am hoping to determine how Labour plan to renationalise everything in sight for no money.

[ichkeria]

At the link in the original post there was an explanation given: it may be rubbish for all I know, I didn’t really understand it, but that was the plan I believe

[ToraToraTora]

something involving government bonds ich but they never explained how they are going to buy all the shares for no actual cash.

[sunny-dave]

I'm not wasting time and typing on the other thread - there seems to be some very nasty name-calling going on there and I suspect the whole shooting match may not be much longer for this world.

So ...

I'm not saying I agree with this ... or indeed that it's Labour Policy (because it isn't) ... but there is no need to actually confiscate anything.

Just win the election, announce that you are considering confiscation and then watch the share prices collapse - then step in with a munificent offer to take away the (now debt-ridden and useless) businesses if the owners pay you a decent amount to do so.

This would of course be challenged in the European Courts ... but ... we're not in their jurisdiction any more.

Job Done.

[ichkeria]

Like I say I can’t help you as I don’t understand either. And the analysis didn’t seem to give it much of a thumbs up.
I don’t think it will ever happen tbh

[ToraToraTora]

gromit; "Can you explain why you support nationalising the railways, but not curbing the rip-off foreign utilities companies ? " - it may surprise you but I also think the state should run the water companies.

[Zacs-Master]

Holy Moses, the ghost of Labour past stalks our mansions.

[Zacs-Master]

That was to sunnyD.

[sunny-dave]

I didn’t say I thought it should happen - or that it was ethical - but it would work ...

[youngmafbog]

The big problem labour may have is that some of the utilities are owned by foreign nationals not jut UK plebs.

I doubt it will ever happen either, but one think is for sure come the next election they had better have their sums all adding up (no Abbot Mathematics) or they will get caned in every debate.

[dannyk13]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5376553/John-McDonnell-faces-ridicule-British-Rail-plan.html

[youngmafbog]

That is just the start Danny. They got away with it last time because of the disastrous May campaign. Hopefully next time other Parties will have their act together.

[Gromit]

Privatisation was done by injecting huge amounts of money to write off the debts of the utilities to be flogged off.
They were then vastly undervalued and sold for a fraction of their worth, further robbing the tax payer who owned them.
The promise was that privatisation would bring competition which would result in cheaper bills. But that was all a con, and bills are 40% higer than before privatisation. In short, it has been a huge expensive failure.

The Government can borrow money cheaply. And the utility companies make vast profits. So the £2billion that the water industry pays its shareholders annually, would more than cover the cost of buying the industry and renationalising it.

[anneasquith]

Just how bored are you ttt?

[mikey4444]

TTT...I am glad that you support bringing the Railways and water supply industries back into public ownership.

If I want to travel by train to Paddington, I have no more choice of which railway company to use now, that I did when the route was occupied by British Rail.

Ditto for my water supply. Same pipes, same reservoirs.

So.... what was the point of nationalization in the first place, apart from the failed political dogma of the Tory Party ?

[Zacs-Master]

I’m not sure he’s bored, just chagrined that no one really bit on his other post.

[youngmafbog]

//So.... what was the point of nationalization in the first place//

Could start with breaking the union stranglehold. Public service companies were appallingly run with both poor and weak management and Unions hell bent on destruction.

[ichkeria]

Something needs to be done about the privatised utilities: it was indeed a huge con, despite the benefits.
The idea that one should continually "shop around" to get the best deal on ones electricity for example is demeaning, as well as impractical. It isn't as if the product being sold by the different companies is any different whether you get it from British Gas, SSE or whoever.
"Come to Eon, where the gas is always greener" (!)

[mikey4444]

Itchy....my example of trains and water is exactly what is wrong to the present situation.....no choice and higher prices.