Tell us what you think

Here is a quote from my friend Dr. David Playfair who lives in Canada, regarding his post office:

"There are two reasons why I send paper packages. Firstly, it gives me an opportunity to chat to our village's lady postmaster about what the British post-office did when e-mails reduced the number of letters. Savings bank loans, driving licenses, passports etc etc. She sighs. 'If only our post office would do that - but then the commercial interests would oppose.' Maybe she'll pass the thought on to her Union . . ."

I lived, in 1938/39 in a terrace of just 18 houses. During the 18 months to the start of WW2, three old people at that time in their 50s and 60s, died without being able to afford a doctor. None had reached pensionable age, 65, so did not receive the 10/- (50p) pension; all were working until the time of illness.

Although only aged 5 and 6 I never have forgotten parents and neighbours in discussing each case were appalled that their spouses had not said anything. Had they done whiprounds would have been held to raise money for treatment.

The profit before treatment of privatization could, probably would bring back death through poverty.

I've witnessed privatisation of public services since it all began in the 1980s with BT, water, energy and bus deregulation. It didn't make sense then and it still doesn't now: service has declined, particularly for the less wealthy; pay and conditions for workers have deteriorated; and valuable public assets have been handed over on the cheap to private individuals, companies and outsourcing agencies whose values do not correspond with those needed to successfully provide all of society's members with the services they need. Short-term financial gain cannot and does not sustain long-term service provision, organisation and development. The current government is fundamentally opposed to state provision of public services, putting the NHS in grave danger, so this makes the work of "We Own It" absolutely vital.

In Sheffield, the council has contracted Amey to chop down a huge number of trees. The reasons for almost all the "killings" just don't stand up in any way......bumpy pavements (it's actually companies like Amey & utilities that dig holes and poorly repair afterwards that cause most problems), can't afford to look after the trees (but can afford huge teams to chop them down!) etc etc. Sheffield was one of greenest cities in Europe, trees save us from effects of pollution etc but one small area of Sheffield lost 160 trees.....ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY! Read it and weep because they're just keeping on doing it and we can't stop them. THEY ARE OUR TREES.

This was what I put in my survey & I was heartened to receive an email from Weownit commenting on the matter. We have STAG in Sheffield....a group who are trying to stop this senseless destruction but people are getting arrested for peacefully protesting. It's all just WRONG.

Privatisation not only takes profits from public services, so away from the public purse, but when it performs badly who picks up the tab? The public!

Public services help everyone - not just the well-off.

Public services are meant to ensure that every one has a roof over their head, food to sustain them, and access to medical services for a life that has quality and hope. To put a price on that and moreover to expect to profit is to demean humanity.

I feel very strongly that public services MUST remain public & not be sold off to the private sector.

I value We Own It for supporting action.

I believe public services should be for the public good and any profit or loss should go to the government.

It is driven by ideology not economics.

I think this country should be back in the hands of the people, not profiteers.

With Privatisation prices go through the roof and services becomes shoddy and non-existent. Just look at the trains, buses, NHS, post office and energy suppliers.

Privatisation results in inconsistent provision. The private sector pulls out, often at short notice, from insufficiently profitable contracts.

With the signing and imminent ratification of CETA, the Comprehensive Trade and Economic Agreement, between the EU and Canada, privatisation will become more widespread and taking anything back into public ownership will be breaking the deal. Not enough people are aware of the storm brewing with CETA. We need thousands of people to contact their MEPs across the country and demand they vote no when it comes before the European Parliament on Valentine's Day 2017. Maybe your supporters could make a huge difference in this vote.

Thanks. Keep up the good work!

Just keep up the good work.

I have seen both private and public bodies running eg: British rail. There were problems but it was run for the people and any profits either put back or used by the government. The privatization of OUR NHS is being done with the utmost stealth by underfunding to make an excuse for privatization. All this has to stop!

We need these services and therefore we must own them!

Privatisation is an irrational choice in public services. Please keep going!

I am so grateful for the stand you have been making as so many of the areas under threat are already marginalised in the minds of the policy makers. Trees, parks and open spaces only have our voices to speak out. Public transport is sometimes the only choice for those with limited incomes and so slips off the radar. And as for Land Registry/Ordinance Survey etc...!!! But together we can be powerful in defending things that should mark our country as a decent civilised place that values these quiet but valuable assets. Rock on We Own It!!!

I think that private companies are businesses and not natural service providers. It is in their interests to put their profits and shareholders first which therefore means their customers do not come first.

I don't want to go back to a time when we have to pay to visit Hyde Park and it's wrong to make prisons or social care services a business. Keep up your great work and thank you for doing it.

The companies or organisations who take over public services are in it to make a profit, lets make no mistake about it, and this is wrong and creates more problems than it solves.

Privatisation is not in the public interest and fragments public services and often involves taxpayer subsidies to companies