Let’s Make Public Ownership the election deal breaker

How can we make Public Ownership the election deal breaker in Britain in 2015? The CPO's Neil Clark explains how in his new Morning Star column:

IN the Morning Star last month I looked at what the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour and Ukip had to offer us in relation to public ownership. Or to be more accurate, what they didn’t have to offer us.
Another five years of the present coalition — or a Conservative majority government — will mean the end of the NHS and see the sell-off of the remaining assets in public ownership, including Britain’s main trunk roads. 
So, if you do want to see Richard Branson or some other billionaire capitalist in charge of the M1, as well as rail routes, hospital services and the Met Office), our publicly owned woodlands flogged off to the highest bidder and our libraries either closed or run by US multinationals, then simply vote Conservative or Lib Dem. 
Labour has edged away from the neoliberal policies of Tony Blair but while its support for a publicly owned rail operator is a step in the right direction, the party is still a long way away from the progressive stance it took on public ownership before Blair became leader in 1994. 
Ukip, while stating that it would oppose the pro-privatisation TTIP, has made no pledges to renationalise anything — a stance which is surely at odds with their claim to be the “People’s Army.”
Well, that was the “Big Four” — but what of the others? 

You can read the whole piece here.

Public Ownership- the Big Issue that could swing it in May 2015

It’s general election night. Labour are on course for victory, with a small majority. The Labour leader is asked by the BBC interviewer if the size of the majority will hinder his party’s legislative programme. 
“We shall carry out our programme — our manifesto,” the Labour leader replies. “We shall give priority of course to putting on the statute book all those things that we have said, like the public ownership of land…”
That exchange took place exactly 40 years ago after the election of October 10 1974. Public ownership was a topic that cropped up a lot in that election, but fast forward to 2014 and it’s a very different story.

The whole of CPO Director Neil Clark's Morning Star column can be read here.

Taken for a ride: Why it's time to renationalise the buses

CPO Director Neil Clark's new column in the Morning Star.

Subsidies for private bus companies run into hundreds of millions and the service provided leaves a lot to be desired. Neil Clark explains why it’s time to renationalise the buses

　

IT’S good to see that more and more media commentators and pundits are boarding the "Renationalise The Railways Express" to join those of us who’ve been calling for such a move for many years.

Calling for the railways to be renationalised 10 years ago had one marked down as a hard-core Marxist or political extremist. Now it’s perfectly mainstream — as even the supporters of privatisation find it hard to make any kind of case for keeping the status quo.

However, when it comes to renationalising bus transport, it’s rather a different story.

The whole article can be read here:

If you're fed up with rocketing bus fares and cuts in services, please consider donating to the CPO, via the donate button on our website, to help us with our campaign for renationalisation.
All contributions, large or small, gratefully received!

Royal Mail sell-off: Don't let Labour's front bench off the hook

The new Public Ownership column from the CPO's Neil Clark in the Morning Star.

It's Grand National day. In 1937, the world's most famous steeplechase was won by a horse called Royal Mail.

Just as well Vince Cable and George Osborne weren't around then as they'd have flogged the poor animal off for a fraction of its value - and left the old owners paying for its upkeep, with the new owners able to pocket the profits of future wins.

For, of course, this is what they've done to our Royal Mail. Quite rightly, the price the Royal Mail was sold for has come under attack, with the National Audit Office reporting this week that the government's actions cost British taxpayers £750 million in a single day, but while the fact that this national institution was sold for at least £1.6 billion below its real value is scandalous - and some would say criminal - it would be a mistake to base our critique of the sale solely on the basis that "they sold it off on the cheap."

You can read the whole article here.

Rail against Privatisation

IT IS the New Year tradition that we could well do without. Every year, Britain’s rail users, who already pay the highest fares in Europe, are hit with increases on their first day back to work. Happy New Year? Our greedy rail companies make sure that the goodwill lasts only one day.

CPO Director Neil Clark makes the case for renationalising Britain's railways in today's Sunday Express. You can read the whole of his article here.

If you agree with him, please do consider a donation to our campaign, via this website's 'Donate' button. Thanks to everyone who has donated to the CPO in 2013. Your support is hugely appreciated. The more money we can raise in 2014, the louder we can make our voices heard.