Some industries better nationalised than privatised?

[snaw]

The British economy under both the Tories and Labour seems to be composed entirely of boom and bust with no slow steady build of vital industries. Make of that what you will.

Suggest maybe reading Paxman's book on politicians - he sort of comes to the conclusions that in general politicians have minimal impact on the economy - obviously the occasional big policy decision has but usually it's doing it's thing with or without them.

[sasguru]

Suggest maybe reading Paxman's book on politicians - he sort of comes to the conclusions that in general politicians have minimal impact on the economy - obviously the occasional big policy decision has but usually it's doing it's thing with or without them.

Agreed although some on here believe that the Tories will provide a paradise and the streets will be paved with gold. The UK economy like any other is tied into whatever happens in the rest of the world. Except that poor decisions made years ago and more recently mean we are going to suffer more than most

[zathras]

I can think of 2, maybe 3:

1. Post Office. Once the envy of the world, hugely reliable. After privatisation, as we all know, rubbish.

2. British Gas as was. Can't remember any problems with this. Not to mention the current blatant profiteering.
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2...6-13276715_ITM

3. British Rail. Surely rail travel deteriorated hugely after privatisation?

Yes, but not the ones you mention.

The water companies were originally nationalised by a Tory government because the private companies were unable to provide clean water at a reasonable amount.

British rail is a bad example because of two things

a) Beeching - who did more to destroy the railways than anybody else

b) The way they were privatised. It would have been better if the Network Rail/Railtrack was not created and the companies became responsible for both the track and the rolling stock on it, as well as the stations on the route.

If you follow b) then the lines of responsibility are clear. This is the way other countries who have privatised did it and it works.

The trouble is thanks to Beeching ripping up large chunks of the railways the competition between routes does not happen and you end up with a private monopoly.

The recent price hike in Gas was down to us being reliant on imported gas rather than our own.

[Cyberman]

Suggest maybe reading Paxman's book on politicians - he sort of comes to the conclusions that in general politicians have minimal impact on the economy - obviously the occasional big policy decision has but usually it's doing it's thing with or without them.

New Lie have had a massive effect on the economy. For years they grew the economy based on high taxes and debt, and now their inertia is driving us into recession. Even today's announcement on Stamp Duty will have a huge negative effect because buyers will now hold off until autumn in the hope that they will not have to pay any!!

[Bob Dalek]

The reasons the French are relatively efficient in delivering public services is because they have a civic pride that works well as long as it is on their terms. The French culture of service is not market driven as it is in the UK.

The downside is that most services are delivered in this way and that the concepts of choice and the free markets are alien to them. What the French are having difficulty with is getting companies to invest there, and much as theere is a great deal to be admired by their system it wont last.

This will change! Right now, IT is, in essence, a Paris-based minor bit of fluff. A lot of France is super-rural and is virtually empty, compared to Blighty. Stand by for big investment as our land becomes too expensive (thinking of India here) - and their unions will, like ours, be battered by the eventual onslaught.