LABOUR’S rail nationalisation plans have confirmed they are a party unafraid to do the entirely obvious thing if they feel it benefits Britain.
The plan to stand back, do nothing and let every terrible, failing rail franchise in the country revert to state ownership sets a worrying precedent of common-sense decisions that will pay off.
Westminster journalist Sue Traherne said: “It begins with nationalising rail. It could end with nurses being paid a living wage. That’s what we’re facing.
“It’s easy to say ‘stop dumping sewage in the sea’ or ‘build more windfarms’ or ‘why have we privatised all our schools?’ Easy and populist. You know who else was a populist? Donald Trump and Hitler.
“Yes, all these policies will certainly work, but is that a reason to pursue them? Where’s the role for the private sector seeking a huge profit from public services? Where’s the opportunity to load our utilities with billions in debt then sell them on? I’m not seeing one.
“With this, Labour have exposed themselves as unimaginative in-the-box thinkers. Do we want to return to the dark days of British Rail where tedious trains ran predictably on time but paying £8.20 for a chicken chipotle wrap on board was impossible?”
Sir Keir Starmer said: “I am a boring man with boring ideas like taking rail franchises off companies that cannot run them. I apologise.”
