Why do you want to see public services run for people not profit? Tell us your story here.
We'll use your comments to help make the case for public ownership - look out for your thoughts on our homepage!
Thanks for telling us what you think.
Photo used under Creative Commons licensing, thanks to anw.fr.
Comments
Andy Kemp replied on Permalink
It strikes me as self-evident: public services should be in public ownership and control. Wherever profit becomes a factor we inevitably see those services undermined, a lack of accountability and a serious breakdown in the very notion of the social good. Our common inheritance is not for sale! For a society to hand over such functions as the provision of fresh water and the imprisonment and rehabilitation of offenders to parties whose vested interests are inimical those of society as a whole, is morally bankrupt and the sign of a deep malaise.
Cormac McCarthy replied on Permalink
An excellent example of how public services and democracy work in a wealthy country is Norway. And in emerging countries in South America there are a number of excellent examples on the same model. An example of the nightmare model that we in Britain are being led to, is the USA. The will of the people needs to be reasserted. We want our democracy back.
Christopher Wellard replied on Permalink
I support everything you stand for, but all this propaganda goes out to the committed. We should be forming local groups to leaflet people, and/or houses and out side the relevant premises, factories, offices,large shops and supermarkets, outdoor and indoor meetings as well as colleges and universities. I am old and this is the job of the young as well as the old.The young in particular because they will have original and unique ideas and it ias their futures. I'm not suggesting a single nationwide organization, but a series of small autonomous groups. Emails are fine to start a movement, but it is only a mass movement which will force change. AND CHANGE THERE MUST BE.
Calum McGregor replied on Permalink
Successive governments have claimed that privitisation of essential public services offers greater choice to the 'consumer' increased competition and value for money. What is has actually meant is that our public services have become shrouded in commercial confidentiality agreements, obscured from public oversight by complex tendering agreements, and driven up prices whilst simultaneously offering a worse service to the public. All outsourcing achieves is to hand vital public services to private companies, who exploit their monopoly position to raise prices and divert our money into the hands of private shareholders. Essential public services such as energy, water, transport and the like should be transferred back to public ownership, so we can have a say in how they are run, and so that they operate with the public good in the forefront of their minds, rather than secondary to turning a profit. We should also be recognised not as consumers, but as users and collaborators in these services. Co-operation is the key! Thanks for your campaign
Clare England replied on Permalink
Privatised monopolies can be bought by private equity companies, loaded with debt ensuring they pay as little tax as possible, and can hide behind commercial confidentiality. Regulators appear to have no meaningful sanctions and, even when services are demonstrated to be unsafe and inadequate the CEOs still receive massive bonuses and shareholders receive dividends. Companies that fail to deliver properly (G4S, Serco, A4E, Atos) on one contract still receive other government contracts and the public, whose services are being sold off, who are ultimately paying for all of this in the form of huge subsidies and increased prices have no say in the process.
This week it was revealed that the privatised water companies are responsible for over 1000 incidents of water pollution. These are companies that are meant to protect the environment but instead the need to make profits overwhelms all other considerations as is the case for all of the various privatised monopolies and services. There is no evidence that privatisation of the NHS and Royal Mail will turn out any differently. The public will just end up paying more to companies that lack accountability.
We Own It is a hugely important campaign because privatisation affects the nature of our democracy.
mike watkins replied on Permalink
The unconstrained free market only works for the benefits of the multi-national companies, the already wealthy, shareholders, hedge fund managers, etc, the rest of us are simply a human revenue stream to be tapped at will.
Hugh Daniels replied on Permalink
Wherever you look you can see the so-called market failing our fellow countryman and taking away our freedom. Prices are no longer under proper control, and our right to a say in how national services are run is being sold off to foreign and multinational companies, who have no commitment or loyalty to the people and values of this country. To them we are just customers to be manipulated and dictated to in a monopolised market. As for their policies on taxation, it is just an inconvenience to be got round rather than an essential income to fund basic services and facilities here.
Thank you for your campaign.
Kandy replied on Permalink
Failures at Winterbourne View show that staff working in residential social care need supervision and training. Pay and career structures must reflect capabilty. To promote inclusion facilities provided for those in residential care need to be in the community not on a remote industrial estate where rent and rates are cheap. Care homes need to be run in a way that safeguards care and not profit. The ethos must be public service not private gain.
Kevin Meaney replied on Permalink
I want public services. Services that are not contracted out but provided publicly and paid for out of our taxes.
This is the most efficient and equitable way to provide essential services.
By keeping the services public there is greater democratic accountability. Freedom of Information means there is greater transparency and excuses like commercial confidentiality etc. can't be used to fob off requests for information.
I do not wish to see tax payers money being used to subsidize corporate profits.
Keep up the good work.
Jane Lennie replied on Permalink
I'll pay taxes for public services provided by adequately waged public workers. I don't agree with my taxes lining the pockets of shareholders when they use workfare, zero hours and temporary contracts for their workers.
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