12 June 2015
If you’ve been keeping track of the news recently you will have noticed that George Osborne seems to be wasting no time in selling off the public stakes in Royal Mail and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).
But unfortunately, the sell offs of the Royal Mail and RBS are just part of a bigger privatisation project.
There are plans to give away £23 billion of our publicly owned assets in the next year. The list includes national treasures like the Royal Mint, the Met Office, the Land Registry and Ordnance Survey which make money and provide vital services that keep the country running.
The swiftness with which the sell offs are happening is incredible. Just this week, while the Chancellor was giving a speech at Mansion House, it was announced that half of the remaining public shares in Royal Mail had been sold - straight to City investors. This leaves the UK public with just a 15% stake and threatens the universal service, which ensures that letters and parcels are delivered from the Shetlands to the Scilly Isles six days a week.
If there’s one thing we’ve learnt since the election it’s that the government are in a bigger rush to privatise these assets than ever before. So if we want to keep these vital public services in the hands of the people that use them we need to act now.
George Osborne seems to think that selling off these assets is a sensible part of his ‘long term economic plan’.
But we don’t buy it. It’s a short sighted, short-term policy that will have long term, negative implications for the public up and down the UK.
It would be great if you could help us launch this vital campaign for public services next Saturday after the People’s Assembly march.
Where? HM Treasury, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ
When? 2.30pm, 20 June 2015
See you there.
Comments
Clare Beighton replied on Permalink
I do not agree with this!!
Barrie Blayney replied on Permalink
I am not prepared to travel 400 miles to London and back, risk having my car clampedor stolen. I am in support of this campaign, however.
Arthur Leewis replied on Permalink
How arrogant George Osborne is, to just get rid of a basically public-owned company, just to balance the books a bit better. It has been the policy of successive governments to sell off, for a short-term view assets that could have brought more benefit in the longer term (see Post Office, Railways etc). This is totally irresponsible and displays a complete lack of respect for the taxpayer, just to please some of his (undoubtedly grateful and rich) friends, who will become/are the shareholders of the buyer(s). So stop this, and levy a bit more tax on the superincomes, if you dare!!!
Mike Fitzgerald replied on Permalink
The media say that Osborne and Cameron are selling THEIR stakes in the publically owned companies - they are not - they are selling of OUR/MY stakes. And once the money has been spent we can never afford to buy them back. Furthermore, who is buying these companies? I am not jingoistic (quite the contrary) but I do not want foreigh companies owning our (ex) nationalised companies as it means control and profits are going out of the country. If RBS, Post Office and, earlier, East Coast Mainline are so valuable to foreign or British private companies why are they not considered as being valuable to the nation?
June Heyes replied on Permalink
Greed, greed, greed
Anne callaghan replied on Permalink
He has no right to do this!! These are PROFIT making assets that will make more money for the tax payer - in they Long term - that us what us needed for the country - a Long term plan! Not a bargain basement sale of assets to his friends - for short term gain / long term pain - with the majority of the countries population paying the price ad infinitum!
John Howe replied on Permalink
This government sold Royal Mail off at a great loss and it looks like this pattern will be repeated with RBS. This government claims to know about finance and to be fiscally savvy I, however, can only see them as fiscal clowns.
Helen Burns replied on Permalink
i do not agree with selling of assets built up over generations for short term gain.
judith klaus replied on Permalink
Please explain the benefit to the country of this profit going to private companies rather than the treasury for the benefit of all
Linda Mercer replied on Permalink
I fully support this campaign to stop the selling off of public services. I'm sorry by I can't make it to London on Saturday but wish you all the very best.
Kay Aldridge replied on Permalink
Unfortunately I can't make it on Saturday but I agree that George Osborne's economic strategy appears to be selling anything that makes money for the treasury on the cheap to make a one off short term gain to his city chums.
Dotty replied on Permalink
More of the family silver to go, nothing left of future generations. What next Ordnance and Survey? anything that makes a profit give it to the City we all remember Royal Mail.
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