Labour are too busy trying to woo Tory voters. Dump Starmer and promote Rayner. She’s been on the shop floor, a steward etc. At least she’ll better understand what’s happening to people across the country right now.
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Heartwarming to see British Gas handing out free bunce for their shareholders with operating profits of over £1 billion. It’s ok, though, because Centrica are ‘supporting’ their customers in this difficult time. Bless.
Shareholding. Another great neo-con con. You need to have money to make money, so what is described as a ‘democratic and liberal method of making society more equal’ is, in fact, just spreading the riches around the already-haves. More nonsense propaganda that needs to be challenged.Comment
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Just don't challenge it by striking or by protesting as they want to stop us doing that.Comment
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Nope. Definitely not. Even the Telegraph are reporting on ‘greedflation’. Why does someone like BT need to increase bills above inflation? Greed. Pure and simple.
I’m sorry if anyone on here is a shareholder in a company working in an area that should be in public hands, but they really are parasites. The country as a whole has been subsidising these work-shy leeches for far too long.Comment
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Completely agree. Thing is, there is an unwritten rule where these companies have to make more money year on year.
Energy companies should absolutely not be allowed to be owned in this way though.Comment
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And this is exactly why the energy costs will never go down.
You really think shareholders will vote to reduce their dividends next year?!Comment
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Public transport is the key example where it's difficult to make any argument that privatisation works well. Transport is arguably one of the biggest barriers to social mobility, because it makes the difference between whether somebody can access services and jobs.Originally posted by prinnysquad View Post
The whole system of bus networks was run on the basis that some routes would be in the red, but it was for the greater good. An obscure route to an industrial estate could get people from a housing estate to the warehouse they work in, so they're in employment and paying their taxes and their kids are likely to go on to do the same. You run a bus to a village and people who are unable to drive can still feasibly live there as they can still get to the big town for college, doctors, jobs. The losses are offset by social benefits and the profits can be reinvested into the service.
The whole idea that privatisation would lead to competition making better services was nonsense and the Thatcher government knew it - that's why London buses were handled differently, they had to run specific routes and fares etc. And if you're running services for profit, there's no way you are going to run a loss-making route - if the council or somebody aren't willing to subsidize it themselves, it just ends. Even the profit-making services will get screwed over - on my route people went from sitting on a double decker to standing on a single decker to watching a full minibus go past (they will still get paid if you're on the second, third or even fourth bus). If one company runs that route, it's Hobson's Choice. If more than one company runs it, it's still Hobson's Choice - you're not realistically going to think "nah, I'll wait for my preferred operator", you just get on the bus that comes and they know it.
If complete privatization of the transport network actually worked, they'd do it in London.Comment
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Truss suggests she would reconsider the Channel 4 sale
She also wants to recommit to the Northern Powerhouse Rail
Burham warns of the dangers that might follow Starmar sacking Tarry
Sunak is challenged over his new plan to axe VAT on energy for a year
Sunak supports bringing back Grammar Schools
Dockers at UK’s largest container port vote to strike in August | Industrial action | The Guardian
Dockers plan a strike in the coming weeksComment
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Government lawyers can no longer tell the government that the laws they want to put in are unlawful.
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I’ve always resisted the temptation to describe this lot as fascist. It seemed over the top and hysterical, and weakens the definition of it. The moment you use a term incorrectly, then that term ceases to serve its purpose.
However, I find myself with little choice left. Generally, this government can be described as creeping towards that description. I wouldn’t say it’s there yet, but that’s the general direction. Silence all critics. Redraw political boundaries. Remove the rights of workers. Blur the distinction between fact and fiction. Position lies above truth. Rewrite the laws you’ve broken. Surround yourself with powerful influencers and financiers/industrialists to protect your brand. Define your own ethics. Remove any who challenge.
It’s all happening.Comment
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If it looks like a fascist, talks like a fascist, removes your rights like a fascist and receives money from other fascists, it’s probably a fascist.Comment
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Starmer: Labour must move from being ‘party of protest’ to election winner | Labour | The Guardian
Starmers response over the union strikes debateComment
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It’s a valiant attempt with some good points, but no. I don’t believe the sacking rationale at all. Ministers bluster and fumble their way through made-up policy twaddle all the time in their media appearances. Furthermore, the distinction drawn between supporting striking workers on the picket line, and supporting them behind the scenes via policy, is an artificial one. He’s trying to claim that they’re exclusive, when they aren’t.Comment
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It was an insane knee-jerk reaction as I don't think anyone really cared either way that he'd appeared on the picket line, Labour MPs have had a long history of doing so. But now there's a load of unions who contribute to the Labour party pot who will be thinking twice about it now.Comment
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Sunak promises a 20% tax cut... if you can wait 8 yearsComment
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