After the election: Ten ways to push for public ownership

Photo of NHS protest in 2013

11 May 2015

We can't sugar-coat it. If you want your public services to be run for people not profit, the election result was bad news. Our scorecard shows that the Conservative Party is furthest away from public opinion on privatisation. Francis Maude promised a 'flood' of new privatisations before the election. It's predicted that a third of public service cash will be spent on private companies in this new parliament. Shares in outsourcing companies Serco, Capita and Babcock jumped on Friday morning. We know that NHS privatisation is accelerating. David Cameron has already said he wants to sell off the public stake in Lloyds bank - what other public institutions does he want to flog off? Meanwhile the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership threatens to make it impossible for sell-offs to be reversed.

What can we do? Here are ten ideas to get started with.

1) Read up

Privatisation is a real David and Goliath battle. The big vested interests have money and influence (George Osborne's best man, for example, has a lot more clout than you or me). So we need all the stones and slings we've got. Let's learn what we can about what's going on and how we can fight it. Have a read of our evidence pages and watch this space for more resources.

2) Get a little help from your friends

Private companies (for example the healthcare companies benefiting from NHS privatisation) have friends in high places. The rest of us just have friends – but maybe we also have passion, solidarity and a belief in something bigger than ourselves. Get together with old friends or make new ones at the emergency meeting in London for the NHS (17th May), Radical Hope organised by Compass (16th May), the G4S AGM protest (4th June) or the People's Assembly national demonstration (20th June). We'll be at some of these events, hope to see you there!

3) Get campaigning

Find your friends locally. Campaigns like the one in Barnet are an inspiration. As they put it, it's time to 'pick yourself up, dust yourself down and start all over again!' There are brilliant groups working across the country that you can get involved with. 

4) Ask your local authority to lead

Northumberland County Council passed a motion in support of our Public Service Users Bill which would make contracts with private companies more transparent and accountable. Southwark Council has introduced a new approach to outsourcing along similar lines. Could you push for your council to pass a motion for the Bill so that people come before profit? Get in touch if you think the campaign could work where you live.

5) Shift the public debate

Every time this government wants to sell something off or outsource it, let's be right there, resisting, campaigning, explaining why they're wrong. If there's a story in your newspaper about privatisation or outsourcing, write in and say what you think. If your letter gets published, send us the link and we'll share it!

6) Learn from Scotland and Wales

The Scottish Government has already passed a Procurement Act which is a step in the right direction. Both Scotland and Wales have devolved powers over public services, have resisted privatisation of the NHS and have water services run for people not profit. Let's learn from them, and talk to them (and to campaigns like Common Weal) about introducing a Public Service Users Bill.

7) Look at the bigger picture

There are so many fantastic examples out there showing that public services can work for people not profit. Let's make the case for more transparency in contracts, sure, but let's get more imaginative too. Let's talk about how cities around the world (including Paris and Berlin) are bringing their water into public ownership. Let's talk about how energy in the US is often run by cooperatives. If the government tries to crush our dreams, let's dream bigger.

8) Play the long game

No one said it would be easy to fight back against 30 years of the myth that 'private is more efficient'. It'll take some time to debunk the myths but we can point to the ways that privatisation has failed. For example, our research with Corporate Watch shows that households would save £250 a year on train fares, water bills and energy bills if these industries were publicly owned.

9) Celebrate the victories

Yes, those of us who value public services have lost a lot over the past five years. But there have also been some terrific and inspiring campaigns, and sometimes we've won. Remember the successful 38 Degrees campaign for public forests? How about the PCS and Law Society victory over the land registry? If there's enough of an outcry, we can win, and we should celebrate every time we do.

10) Share the love 

Most people want public services for people not profit - and the relentless drive to privatise isn't changing our hearts and minds. Sign and share the petition for public services for people not profit, follow us on facebook and twitter, and let's work out together how to resist. 

This list is just a starter for ten. What do you think? What have we forgotten? We'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.

Photo of NHS protest in 2013

Photo used under Creative Commons licensing, thanks to the Weekly Bull.

Do you believe in public services for people not profit?

Win campaigns for public ownership by subscribing to our mailing list! We'll hold your data in accordance with our privacy policy and send you carefully chosen information about current and future campaigns, projects and appeals. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Comments

barry nicholson replied on Permalink

I entirely support the "we own it" campaign, however there is little that we can practically do to prevent this majority Thatcherite government from privatising whatever it wants unless there is mass civil protest and industrial action. The situation will only get worse before it gets any better hopefully in 5 years time. The greedys have won for the next five years.

Jane replied on Permalink

The lazies had it for many years. They could have done a lot more for the ordinary person - but of course we had Blair to contend with for a decade. Now we are in this mess having to have Tory awfulness. There mightn't be much left in 5 years time.

Royal Mail - going to be chewed up and spat out even more.

Did you know the original ""selected" investors had the windfall of the sale of two big sorting offices included in their purchase. I found that out only recently. Deveopers rubbibng their hands with glee at all the other properties. There will be more favoured few this time.

Roger Bayston replied on Permalink

Yes, we need to plan ahead in order to oppose successfully the plans for social vandalism that this new government is hatching.

Jenni Jackson replied on Permalink

Point 4 above ends by saying 'Get in touch if you think the campaign could work where you live'. The 'get in touch' implies a link for somewhere to contact, but the link is not active. I think we could push Bedford Borough Council into supporting the Public Users Bill; who should I get in touch with..?

Jo replied on Permalink

You can copy and paste the email link into your own browser by right clicking it.

Rob Hails replied on Permalink

You present very interesting evidence.

One thing occurred to me though is that not all private health care is good. Have you done any investigations as to how many people have complained or taken legal action against private hospitals or the like.

I know of cases (which I cannot divulge ) where private operations have been shall we say less than successful.

Any mileage to prove private is not best. ??

Alan Bond replied on Permalink

It's going to be an uphill struggle, especially if, as expected, the tories attempt to gerrymander their way into permanent power. Sorry to say that it is likely that the only way to end the nightmare will be a revolution and that won't happen in Britain. We are most likely doomed to be ruled by corporate interests.

Mary Cotterill replied on Permalink

For some strange reason, the people seem to have forgotten, during this election campaign, the things most were saying were important to them. In spite of what the coalition did to the NHS, the continuous talk of a possible SNP coalition with Labour, in spite of the time spent explaining it would not happen, seemed to be more of a threat than the continued damage a Conservative government will do. The fact that Ed Milliband had said Labour were campaigning for a majority was continuously being ignored by the media, TV and press. Odd seeing as how Cameron repeated the same message about looking for a majority and nobody seemed to be pressing what he would do if he didn't. I daresay now people wonder why they were swayed by the media as they were. If they are not doing that now, they probably will once the Tories get started on their privatisation endeavours. Can't believe the mass fear of something that would not have happened in favour of something which certainly will. And it won't be good for anyone except those already on easy street.

Mel Ackerman replied on Permalink

You are so right

However, no-one has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the british voting public!

I despair another five tory years of dwindling services whilst companies and individuals avoid paying their taxes.

I doubt labour will ever be elected again in my lifetime. Not if Rupert Murdoch has his way.

S.J replied on Permalink

I actually think it a pity Miliband has gone - Leaders who lost elections didn't always resign i.e Harold Wilson, and then went on to win.

I think it was the bad luck of timing and the special circumstances of this election e.g the rise of the SNP who surprised all the political class: had the focus been on policies and government the result might have been different.

We will now have people growing up without any memory of public services and utilities.

ihonestly don't know what the answer is: how does ne begin to educate the public?

John Yarnell replied on Permalink

Money to spend on public services is scarce.

Don't waste it by putting it into the pockets of private owners who can cream off the profits gained out of public contracts.

Wendy Lowe replied on Permalink

The media completely glosses over this most obvious corruption! "While money is tight...Cameron says 'lets pour it into private pockets' that will bring efficiancies!? " What? Tories make cancer pay! It's sick.

Marjorie Nye replied on Permalink

Please keep me informed of privatisation deals this right wing government

are planning.

Joseph Marshall replied on Permalink

To make a compelling case, it's important not to sound partisan. I think the Conservative Party in its present form is a source of genuine evil, but saying "Look what the wicked Tories are doing" will only appeal to people like me and make a lot of other people switch off. Every time there's a scandal in a privatised service (and there are sure to be scandals), publicise as widely as possible a photograph of the Chief Executive of the offending company with a statement of his or her most recent annual remuneration package. That's something everyone can relate to, and the injustices will speak for themselves.

Suzy Davies replied on Permalink

Since I became an adult I have seen shipbuilding go to the wall, the end of steel, copper and other metal production. I have also seen the end of British Railways, which not only ran all aspects of the railway on a not for profit basis, but also manufactured its own locomotives and rolling stock. Electricity and gas have also become privatised along with the post office. None of this is about efficiency, but about putting people out of work and making things more expensive for the person in the street whilst making the fat cats fatter ! It's treasonable, no wonder few people refer to Great Britain anymore.

Lucus Greenwood replied on Permalink

I'm right in the demographic that both Conservatives and 'Blairite' Labour believe they're pleasing with neo-con policies. I'm a pensioner (aged 77), a home-owner comfortably wealthy and I shop frequently at John Lewis and Waitrose. And yet I don't swallow any of this right-of-centre ideology. As a Quaker, I am passionately Green, I find the privatised utilities greedy and subtly dishonest, and on all the main issues my preferences go with the evidence, not with the tabloids' snide rhetoric. I expect to survive the disastrous current policies -- mainly because I won't live long enough to suffer their worst consequences. But my children, their spouses and ultimately my grandchildren are suffering abominably already. I care about them, but not only them. There are thousands of vulnerable people already in desperation, and I care about them too. What's wrong with a bleeding heart? I've become proud of it. What's bad about being a do-gooder? And what's the alternative? A do-harmer? A do-nothing? There's no shortage of those, so they don't need my support.

Denis Rumbold replied on Permalink

I agree wholeheartedly with your comment.

Thea replied on Permalink

Your post has lifted my heart and my spirit. :-)

Wendy Lowe replied on Permalink

Many more people voted against the Tories than for them. The divided opposition surely could work together and block all moves to sell this Nation to the Capitalist Profiteers. Can we make a huge shout to UNITE IN OPPOSITION!?

Brian Preece replied on Permalink

James Meek's brilliant book "Private Island" contains all the evidence you need. Read it and weep!

David Butcher replied on Permalink

I absolutely agree with everything you say. Seeing how the Liberal Democrats in the coalition had often reined in the aspirations of the Conservatives, I was hoping for a majority of the Lib Dems. Most people have not forgotten the financial crisis which Labour caused last time they were in power, so did not vote for a repeat. In my opinion the Lib Dems are the best of the bunch and I was immensely dismayed on finding they suffered most of all in the Election. I cannot think why so many of the electorate thought the Conservatives would mostly favour democracy, seeing their past performance at trying to sell off the public services to private concerns. It is probably true that private companies are more efficient and economical than public corporations,but their motive is profit and this doesn't sit well with the good of the many. It is the rich who can afford shares in private companies, and the dividends from them are welcome. Capitalism has always proved a better system than socialism,but public services are for the people not for profit. Best would be a well balanced Parliament, with most if not all members independent, not subject to a party line. And each MP required to ascertain the majority opinion, in his/her constituency,on every measure proposed. It is no wonder that the Swiss system is so successful and the country a very happy place.

All power to your efforts to achieve a real democracy. Not an oligarchy which the Cabinet Government is,and able to command support in the Commons with their system of whips.

Duncan Callow-Evans replied on Permalink

David, I have to respond to your statement about "...the financial crisis which Labour caused last time they were in power".

They didn't - it was reckless (and almost certainly intentionally fraudulent) lending practices by the UK Banking industry that caused it.

I'm only going to be convinced that point has finally sunk in when those responsible serve prison sentences.

George Talbot replied on Permalink

Labour did not cause the Credit Crunch! Senior Coalition politicians have incessantly said they did to avoid blame for the manifest failure of deregulated global finance. See also my comments on vimeo.com/122140619, 19 & 25 April, which also warn of a debt time bomb. Then Paul Krugman’s The austerity delusion showed austerity worsened growth in most nations; the Guardian, 29 April. Was damaging austerity used to help shift blame?

Cameron has been doubly deceitful about reform of the NHS; first saying he would not introduce major changes then saying he did not appreciate effects of Lansley's bill. Good evidence does not support privatisation of community healthcare or of natural monopolies. So I urge We Own it to expose the wrong thinking behind neoliberalism: It is structurally unsound!

Add new comment