Neil Clark: Eastern Europe's neoliberal disaster provides a warning for the Arab spring

This article by CPO co-founder Neil Clark appears on The Guardian's Comment is Free website:

I wonder if David Cameron spent any time in eastern Europe in the 1990s.



Judging from his recent remarks about the Arab spring and international aid, the British prime minister seems to believe that having a more "open" and "free", ie privately owned, economy is the key to both economic development and a successful transition from one-party rule.

The evidence from the former communist countries gives lie to that neoliberal viewpoint.


You can read the whole article here.

71% say renationalise the water industry

The Sunday Express reports:

CALLS to renationalise the water industry have risen as a summer of drought looms despite heavy rain. 


Seven out of 10 voters want the control of water supplies taken out of the hands of major companies, many foreign-owned, and put back into public ownership.


After a month of constant rainfall and even flooding failed to lift drought restrictions in many areas, there are strong signs the public is increasingly frustrated with the performance of private companies and the Government at tackling the water crisis. 


You can read the full article here. 


If you live in England, then please write to your M.P. asking whether or not they support renationalisation of England's water.

Centrica head office ‘rip-off' blockade

The Daily Express reports:


PROTESTERS forced energy giant Centrica to shut its head office yesterday after storming it complaining of “rip-off” bills. More than 50 members of environmental group Greenpeace blockaded the road leading to British Gas parent company’s offices in Windsor, Berkshire, using a 260 square foot spoof bill. Five demonstrators locked themselves in and barricaded entrances with large bills printed onto sheets of wood. Hundreds of workers were turned away. Greenpeace said average bills rose £150 last year, £100 of which was due to rising gas prices. It accused Centrica of relying on “expensive, imported gas”.