We need to renationalise the railways, uniquely without compensation in view of the manner of their privatisation, as the basis for a national network of public transport free at the point of use, including the reversal of bus route and rail line closures going back to the 1950s.
Only public ownership can deliver this. Public ownership is of course British ownership, and thus a safeguard of national sovereignty. It is also a safeguard of the Union in that it creates communities of interest across the several parts of the United Kingdom. Publicly owned concerns often even had, and could have again, the word "British" in their names.
Ed Miliband and Jon Cruddas, since you have made so very welcome a start, over to you.
"Ed Miliband and Jon Cruddas, since you have made so very welcome a start, over to you."
ReplyDeleteOh, I definitely will! Thank goodness you are out there to map a course for the country! I would be lost without your help! How's the Telegraph blog going?
In terminal decline, dear. Everyone says so. If you were anyone, then you'd know that.
ReplyDeleteHow's Blairism going, with Labour now as good as committed to renationalising the railways and to a referendum on withdrawal from the EU?
Are Ed and Jon going to be at the Nottingham conference on Friday?
ReplyDeleteI don't know. I doubt it, although Jon might show up. However, their nearest and dearest will certainly be more than in attendance, so it will all get back. It promises to be an immensely productive event.
ReplyDeleteOn topic, Blair did in fact promise to renationalise the railways before the 1997 Election. A sign of things to come, alas. But that, thankfully, is the past now.
The real Ed Miliband has definitely read your last book and was hugely impressed with it. This blog is read regularly by all the right people. You will pretend not to know that, but you do. As John Milbank said in his commendation of your book, you invented postliberal politics, before Blond, before Glasman, before all of them. Some very important people would love to meet you.
ReplyDeleteThey know where I am.
ReplyDeleteOn topic, please.
With Miliband comes Jon Cruddas, with Cruddas comes Maurice Glasman, with Glasman come Lindsay, Milbank and all the rest of them. The policy and tactical implications become more clear every day. Be afraid, be very very very afraid.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing you at the Nottingham seminar. Not the only one. Bring a pen, you are going to be autographing books again.
ReplyDelete