British Steel - back under government control

[drumbrake]

The process of re-nationalising British Steel has started. Should it have ever been privatised in the first place under Thatcher? If an industry has strategic national importance (steel, water, energy etc.) should it be allowed to be under private and increasingly overseas government control?

[hongkongmusic]

Great Judaa Priest album.

[ByeByeEngland]

The process of re-nationalising British Steel has started. Should it have ever been privatised in the first place under Thatcher? If an industry has strategic national importance (steel, water, energy etc.) should it be allowed to be under private and increasingly overseas government control?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I agree, fuel and gas prices are scandalous, water companies pay lip service to leaks, sewage etc. British Rail was AWFUL, but at least pricing was simple and comparatively cheap compared to other travel options (barring a coach).

My problem is that Nationalised shouldn’t mean endless losses funded by the taxpayer, but it will. Under Labour that is inevitable.

[hullexile]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I agree, fuel and gas prices are scandalous, water companies pay lip service to leaks, sewage etc. British Rail was AWFUL, but at least pricing was simple and comparatively cheap compared to other travel options (barring a coach).

My problem is that Nationalised shouldn’t mean endless losses funded by the taxpayer, but it will. Under Labour that is inevitable.

I hope they can save it. Scunthorpe has already been all but destroyed, closure would finish it.

[becomjapanHK]

Privatisation can be optimal IF the companies are then regulated appropriately by the government.

Companies should remain owned by a company within the respective country e.g. UK in this case.

There are so many terrible examples in UK....water companies just see the fines as a cost of doing business and inefficiencies are just paid for with higher prices to the end customer......for a government to allow this kind of practice is the biggest scandal.

Similarly with trains....all the inefficiencies are just piled on to the cost of a sh!tty service to the consumer....

[hongkongmusic]

Great Judaa Priest album.

DELETE THIS NOW!

Please ban me for life. Most boring forum on the planet but like a nasty girl you know is no good for you I can't resist.

Thanks!

[shri]

https://youtu.be/O5FbjESR79c?si=BthXnk4LfqjXUEuG

[hullexile]

Privatisation can be optimal IF the companies are then regulated appropriately by the government.

Companies should remain owned by a company within the respective country e.g. UK in this case.

There are so many terrible examples in UK....water companies just see the fines as a cost of doing business and inefficiencies are just paid for with higher prices to the end customer......for a government to allow this kind of practice is the biggest scandal.

Similarly with trains....all the inefficiencies are just piled on to the cost of a sh!tty service to the consumer....

Don't tell Easty that, he thinks the privatised trains in the UK are wonderful which is why they are so crowded.

[paddylast]

The process of re-nationalising British Steel has started. Should it have ever been privatised in the first place under Thatcher? If an industry has strategic national importance (steel, water, energy etc.) should it be allowed to be under private and increasingly overseas government control?

I think essential services like water, electricity etc should not be privatised without strict government regulations and supervision.

British steel would not be essential in my book. It may have been a mistake to privatise it but who else, other than the elected government of the day, is to say what is or isn't of strategic national importance.

[East_coast]

Privatisation can be optimal IF the companies are then regulated appropriately by the government.

This is the key issue. Regulation. Imagine going back to a single provider for telephones or parcel delivery or electricity or....

Companies should remain owned by a company within the respective country e.g. UK in this case.

Why? Surely only in industries that are deemed nationally important. Why should all the owners of postal delivery companies be from the the country they operate in.

Selling steel plants to a state actor of a country with a history of dumping steel in other markets would seem dumb on many levels.

There are so many terrible examples in UK....water companies just see the fines as a cost of doing business and inefficiencies are just paid for with higher prices to the end customer......for a government to allow this kind of practice is the biggest scandal.

Water company privatization was essential to fix the decrepit and inefficient system that had been created by nationalization. Regulation was OK to start but never changed to reflect the changes in service / ownership structure.

Similarly with trains....all the inefficiencies are just piled on to the cost of a sh!tty service to the consumer....

Scotland has the worst train services in the UK and they are nationalized.