I think i do understand - the private firms will have lost money and the opportunity cost will be significant. If the government couldn't see it was too good to be true then who is to blame?

The problem with all nationalised industries has always been cost control - look at the NHS, waste in that organisation will be enormous. So why would you think them running ECML they would be able to control costs - what evidence do you have to suggest your confidence is well placed?

You again are struggling with comprehension - the track/roads etc yes I agree should be in public ownership but the companies that operate on them should be private and if there isn't sufficient profit in them to encourage private firms to run them then we really do have a problem because one of two things will happen: Prices rise or public money going in rises. This seems unfair that the general population subsidises certain citizens method of transport.

Opportunity cost is irrelevant. These companies walked away from onerous contracts without any comeback from the people they were contracted with. That is not how a regular market works, or should work. They felt minimal pain.

Your dogged devotion to this myth is impressive if nothing else. You keep putting out the same stuff but have never supported it with any proof other than it just seems to be some sort of truthiness to you.

So it's time to Put up or shut up. How about maybe an international comparison of administration costs in healthcare?

An interesting mini documentary on Britain's rail privatisation. https://youtu.be/DlTq8DbRs4k

An interesting mini documentary on Britain's rail privatisation. https://youtu.be/DlTq8DbRs4k

The NHS is pretty efficient at what it does. It’s size and ‘market dominance’ (for want of a better term) gives it impressive purchasing and negotiating power, and the relative simplicity of the system (compared, for example, with the US), means there are fewer stakeholders with their hand in the till.

Obviously, with an elected government made up, at best, of people who don’t care and, at worst, want to see the NHS fail on ideological grounds or to get themselves or their mates a share of the spoils, it is working less well, justifying further efforts to undermine it. But never mind that, look over there at a spurious argument over fish with the dastardly French… it is almost panto season, I suppose.

Our GP suggested to my wife that she go private today for a minor procedure because she won’t be seen until the condition gets much worse because non-urgent stuff won’t be getting to the top of the list for the foreseeable. Come back when you’re worse and it is urgent is an inefficiency, borne of under resourcing (and COVID, in fairness), both in terms of health outcomes and healthcare resource utilisation. Because a lot of people can’t afford to go private and so will have to wait to get worse, pushing somebody else further down the queue.

Quote ="Jack Burton"An interesting mini documentary on Britain's rail privatisation. https://youtu.be/DlTq8DbRs4k'" 2:56 in that video - which country using its outsized influence EU matters got that clause about separating infrastructure from operators inserted? Yup, it was us, inflicting unwanted and pointless splits on other EU countries to legitimise our own plans for privatisation.

Quote ="Jack Burton"An interesting mini documentary on Britain's rail privatisation. https://youtu.be/DlTq8DbRs4k'" 2:56 in that video - which country using its outsized influence EU matters got that clause about separating infrastructure from operators inserted? Yup, it was us, inflicting unwanted and pointless splits on other EU countries to legitimise our own plans for privatisation.

Owen Patterson. People who voted tory obviously admire politicians like this mon.
Don Coleone would be proud of the tories today.

Meanwhile Boris pleasures himself by “staring at Women’s Juggs, and Pigs Buttocks”

Surely MPs should be banned from have jobs outside politics whilst they're in office (at least)?

I would agree but then you would have to pay them more if you wanted to attract a better calibre of MP.

I voted Tory and this is disgraceful - what it does show is if you have a big enough majority you can do what the hell you like.

A MP's salary is £81k a year basic, this is the same as a CEO's average salary in the UK, which is the highest average salary in the UK excluding pilots and fight engineers. No other job is likely to offer the same level of connections they're likely to gain whilst working as an MP

I'm glad you have posted that. Some of my Tory voting friends are up in arms about it. This lot have just made themselves look like crooks.

Patterson should be allowed a reply but in a trial, by a court of law.

Wasn't Owen Patterson speaking on behalf of Randox who are heavily involved in covid testing & no doubt making a fortune from the pandemic ?

The pattern of appalling behavior by (some) Tories continues.
Their gaffer (Bojo) hasn't got the balls to sack any of them for ANY wrongdoing and seems to allow them to stay on regardless.
Only the utter embarrassment, following the many indiscretions, causes them to eventually resign.
There seems little doubt that they are doing whatever they want. From Bojo, using party donor's cash (initailly) for his flat revamp, Hancock's affair, now Paterson.
As far as personal behavior is concerned , this lot are, without doubt, THE worst set of MP's that we've had in my lifetime and they take their lead from the PM.

And that female MP that threatened to throw acid in somebody's face. Oh hang on a minute..... She wasn't a Tory. Best not count her then.

whataboutwhataboutwhatabout!

How much money did she receive from any companies for asking questions that benefit them. I suppose you do understand what yesterday was all about and the difference between the two situations. I guess if she had arranged for the court system to be suspended and the ruling of the judge be ignored until a new more favourable process was put in place then yes you would be correct.

I was taught that by the master that is you, Ghost.
Just so I'm clear, what the government did was ridiculous. Unfortunately that's what you get with a huge majority, I mean, look at Blairs tenure.

And you do understand the difference between a rule and a law, don't you?

You understand that Boris Johnson believes that both are for people like you and not for him, don’t you?

This is what irks me. I fully understand that rules and laws are for the "little people" and not for people of power and influence. But it was ever thus. I know Johnson is in the hot seat at the moment but the next in line whether he be Tory, Labour or monster raving looney will be EXACTLY the same.
You can't rise to a position of power without being a scheming, duplicitous . So why would you expect anything different?

You've been conditioned to think like this to just let it carry on unquestioned. It's the classic "they're all as bad as each other" defence. It's a stance usually peddled by the tabloids. The Daily Mail did it yesterday commenting on the Owen Paterson story. Their front page had a big photo of Paterson with "Shameless MPs sink back into sleaze". It should have said "Shameless Tory MPs sink back into sleaze". By saying MPs it covers them all and keeps you thinking they're all as bad as each other.

What a load of crap - you can rise up the ladder by being an ethical individual you just need to demonstrate with every move the value you add. Yes you need to be aware of the challenges and have a strategy as how you will execute that strategy but that doesn't mean you have to step on all your peer group to deliver it.

As I have said before with a majority the size of Johnson's comes challenges - he thinks he can do as he pleases - fortunately kick back from outside of Westminster usually concentrates his mind as it has this week. I wonder how much of this is protect his own backside?

"They're all the same". Such a dumb, deliberately ignorant perspective.

Was Thatcher on the take? Was John Major? Was Gordon Brown? Was Theresa May? No, no, no and no. They may have had terrible policies depending on your point of view but they were fundamentally honest people.

Twisting yourself wildly to justify continuing to support this guy is both hilarious and awful at the same time.

It's the first time for a long time when it felt like the media, journalists and the electorate actually woke up and said "hey, this is wrong". Even those in the most sycophantic of Tory corners realised the strength of feeling across the whole political spectrum and chose not to die on Owen Paterson's hill.