privatise

Green Party reaction to Labour’s rail ‘nationalisation’ plans 

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Image of the Green Party's Carla Denyer on BBC Question Time.
Image of the Green Party’s Carla Denyer on BBC Question Time.

In response to Labour’s announcement that it plans to renationalise most passenger rail services within five years co-leader of the Green Party, Carla Denyer, said: 

“Greens give an amber light to these proposals. We have long called for full public ownership and significant investment in our railways. The passengers left stranded after cancelled or delayed services or sitting on floors next to closed train toilets are testimony to the failed privatisation experiment of our railways.  

“These proposals though are only for partial public ownership and make no mention of the significant investment that our railways need. They would leave rolling stock and freight in private hands. This should be the first step to completely integrate all our railways into public ownership followed by significant investment that both the rail industry and passengers are crying out for.  

“Too often Labour makes grand policy announcements that are followed by a screeching U-turn weeks or months later. This is why a Labour government will need Green MPs to help keep them on the right track and pushing them to be bolder and do better.”  

Continue ReadingGreen Party reaction to Labour’s rail ‘nationalisation’ plans 

Tory ministers accused of ‘rigging the rules’ to help rail firm bosses get bonuses 

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https://leftfootforward.org/2024/04/tory-ministers-accused-of-rigging-the-rules-to-help-rail-firm-bosses-get-bonuses/ Many articles from LeftFootForward today.

‘They are desperate to help their chums, the privateers, keep their private snouts in the public trough’

The Shadow Transport Secretary has accused the Tories of a “scandalous misuse of taxpayers’ money” after it was revealed that more rail operators have had their performance targets lowered, helping company bosses get bonuses. 

At least eight rail firms have had their performance targets lowered by the Government as Labour accused ministers of “rigging the rules” to reward “abject failure”.

In February it was reported that Tory ministers cut the standards for train cleanliness, ticketing, staffing and customer services at Govia Thameslink Railway, after the company had failed to reach service quality standards on most measures. 

Now the Mirror has revealed that a further seven other operators have had service standards on key measures lowered, after failures to meet targets. Government rule changes in 2020 mean that companies are now paid an annual fee for operating lines and have the chance to earn bonuses for performance on top. 

Rail bosses have raked in billions in bonus payments from the Government, with the two Chief Executive of First Group, which owns major stakes in South Western Railway, sharing a £1.3m bonus.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2024/04/tory-ministers-accused-of-rigging-the-rules-to-help-rail-firm-bosses-get-bonuses/ Many articles from LeftFootForward today.

Continue ReadingTory ministers accused of ‘rigging the rules’ to help rail firm bosses get bonuses 

A ‘car crash’ of different disasters has left UK with among the worst bathing conditions in Europe, campaigners warn

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https://leftfootforward.org/2024/04/a-car-crash-of-different-disasters-has-left-uk-with-among-the-worst-bathing-conditions-in-europe-campaigners-warn/

Campaigners are attributing privatisation, extreme weather, and politics to collectively creating the water pollution crisis.  

Almost all of Britain’s waterways are polluted. In 2023, sewage spills into England’s waterways more than doubled. Recently released figures from the Environment Agency show that there were 3.6 million hours of spills compared to 1.75 million hours in 2022.

A separate report from the Rivers Trust confirms the ‘desperate state’ of the country’s seas and rivers.

The State of Our Rivers Report concluded that no single stretch of river in Northern Ireland or England is in good overall health. The report follows an earlier damning verdict by a House of Commons Committee report in 2022, which concluded that no river in England was free from chemical contamination.

Within Europe, Britain’s polluted waterways have been described by Loughborough University as an “anomaly,” which have fallen behind other European countries in reporting significant improvements in bathing water quality in recent decades. In France, for example, authorities have spent billions of euros improving storm water and sewage treatment in an effort to clean up the River Seine for Olympic swimming events this summer.

As research lays bares the deterioration of the state of the nation’s waterway quality, anger is mounting over the dumping of untreated sewage into Britain’s seas and rivers, which are now ranked among the worse countries in Europe for water pollution.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2024/04/a-car-crash-of-different-disasters-has-left-uk-with-among-the-worst-bathing-conditions-in-europe-campaigners-warn/

Continue ReadingA ‘car crash’ of different disasters has left UK with among the worst bathing conditions in Europe, campaigners warn

16 water monopolies have paid out a total of £78bn in dividends, as Thames Water teeters on the brink

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Image of a burst water main.
Image of a burst water main.

https://leftfootforward.org/2024/04/16-water-monopolies-have-paid-out-a-total-of-78bn-in-dividends-as-thames-water-teeters-on-the-brink/

When England’s water industry was privatised in 1989, we were told it would lead to ‘shareholder democracy’. Instead, what we’ve seen is a monopoly which has resulted in consumer bills soaring, while infrastructure deteriorates and the debt of water companies soars.

Since the 1990s, investment by the 10 largest water and sewage companies has fallen by 15%. Now new research published by the Financial Times has found that 16 water monopolies have paid out a total of £78bn in dividends in the 32 years since privatisation.

The paper states: “The £78bn payout is nearly half the £190bn the companies spent in the same three decades on infrastructure. The utilities meanwhile chalked up more than £64bn net in debt over the same period, despite being sold at privatisation with no borrowings.”

The FT also finds that water companies in England and Wales paid £2.5bn in dividends and added £8.2bn to their net debt in the two financial years since 2021.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2024/04/16-water-monopolies-have-paid-out-a-total-of-78bn-in-dividends-as-thames-water-teeters-on-the-brink/

Here’s how much you would’ve saved if water had been in public ownership

Continue Reading16 water monopolies have paid out a total of £78bn in dividends, as Thames Water teeters on the brink

Vast majority of public do not trust water companies, new research shows

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Image of a burst water main.
Image of a burst water main.

https://leftfootforward.org/2024/04/vast-majority-of-public-do-not-trust-water-companies-new-research-shows/

‘There is a growing perception that the water industry cares more about profit than the service it provides.’

Public trust in water companies has hit a new low. Less than one in four people believe water companies will help protect the environment.

Just 23 percent of water consumers in England and Wales say they trust their water companies to “do what’s right for the environment,” marking a 9 percent drop from 31 percent two years ago.

These were the findings of a consumer survey commissioned by Ofwat and the consumer watchdog Consumer Council for Water (CCW). The Savanta study was conducted between December 4 and 18, 2023. It surveyed 2,399 UK adults in England and Wales.

The research found that satisfaction with the quality of water services has fallen to 58 percent from 65 percent in 2021. Similarly, consumer satisfaction with wastewater and drainage services has dropped to 49 percent from 56 percent.

The water regulator Ofwat says the findings underscore the importance of the need for a transformative change in the water sector, so that it “delivers better outcomes for customers and the environment.”

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https://leftfootforward.org/2024/04/vast-majority-of-public-do-not-trust-water-companies-new-research-shows/

Continue ReadingVast majority of public do not trust water companies, new research shows