15 Jul 2026
The man set to be our next Prime Minister has gone on record as saying he wants to bring key utilities like energy and water into 'public control'. But Andy Burnham hasn't yet clarified what he's proposing.
Here’s the truth about public control that not enough people know about:
1) Public control is not public ownership. When it comes to water and energy, the ’public control’ that Burnham is promising already exists. It's another word for regulation which has been failing households since water was privatised in 1989.
2) Privatisation is a waste of your money. Burnham can afford to deliver public ownership. How? He can force the companies - water, energy, Royal Mail - to deliver massive investment out of their own pockets or go bust. When they fail there is legislation he can use - the special administration regime - to protect the public interest and take them back without compensating shareholders. The truth is that bringing public services and assets into public ownership will save money and deliver a better deal.
Why should your household be a revenue stream for shareholders around the world? Andy Burnham's popularity won't last long unless he's crystal clear that he will end the scam and deliver permanent public ownership for all our key public services and assets, including the NHS and care as well as our key utilities and infrastructure.
We deserve to own our public assets whether at the local, regional or national level, because owning is better than renting; ownership is the only way to get real control of our essential services.
Andy Burnham must pick a side and he can’t bring down your bills and improve your services unless he does.
Take action
Spread the word, share these resources, talk to people you know about what Andy Burnham can do next.
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Sign our open letter to Andy Burnham
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Sign our petition calling on Burnham to take back Thames Water permanently - the first step to public ownership for ALL the privatised water companies
