Anybody Still Think That It Was A Good Idea To Privatise Gas And Electricity ?

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29140613

Shysters, all of them.

[tonyav]

I didn't think it was a good idea anyway, mikey. And yes shysters all of them.

[naomi24]

I never thought it was a good idea.

[agchristie]

Too much empowerment!

[mikey4444]

We are as one on this one Tonyav, but lots of people were fooled by the Tory Government of the 80's. We were promised lowers bills and were bribed into it by being given the wonderful opportunity to buy shares in the utilities, despite having owned them in the first place !

We were also conned over water. When I phoned up Marks and Spencers to see if they could supply me with water instead of Welsh Water, I was told that it wasn't possible. So I have no choice but to have the Welsh Water water, which is a bit wet for my liking.

[naomi24]

Did you buy any shares, Mikey?

[tonyav]

Your right mikey, maggie sold off the family Silver. I might give that a try at M&S, South Staffs water is also a touch on the wet side !.

[mikey4444]

Of course not Naomi...my allegiances can't be bought for any pieces of silver.
I didn't even take the free shares that BT wanted to give me as a staff member.

[naomi24]

Very noble.

[naomi24]

Tony, and Gordon sold off the family gold. ;o)

[tonyav]

I know, naomi, thanks for reminding me ;-)

[mikey4444]

Perhaps Naomi, but if I campaigned with my Union against the privatisation of our utilities, it would have been hypocritical to have had my snout in the trough.

[naomi24]

It would indeed.

[jomifl]

The money saved by reducing the technical workforce ie. the guys that produced the electricity and gas has simply gone to pay huge managerial salaries and teams of sales people and consultants. Despite the huge reduction of the workforce the price of electricity in the UK is still as much more than in France as it has ever been. France is a good reference point as 82% of it's electricity is produced by nuclear power stations which are not vulnerable to world energy price fluctuations.

[jomifl]

As a socialist colleague said 'why should I buy something I already own?' Now he doesn't own it.

[marje]

No, most definitely not!

[ToraToraTora]

I ok so some firms have held on to money they should not have. How is that related to privatisation? Competition between firms since privatisation has ensured prices are much lower than they otherwise would have been under nationalised monopolies and we'd still be paying 33% income tax to pay for the marxist infiltrated work force. Remember that mikey, in 1979 income tax was 33%, you remember, would you like to go back to those days?

[ToraToraTora]

TGL did not sell off the family silver, she unloaded some millstones at a profit! Does anyone remember how much we pumped into the nationalised marxist academies of skiving? How short are some memories! No wonder there are 18 year old Thatcher haters if the "grown ups" are brainwashing them with this cobblers. Does anyone over 50 remember what it was like before TGL? Please!

[New Judge]

Yes I certainly do, 3Ts and I've related it on AB many times.

Among the many extremely unpleasant manifestations of that magnificent era was the famous "3 day week" brought on by Arthur Scargill and his merry men. We'll be back to that again soon but this time it will be down to prolonged prevarication by successive governments who simply won't accept that the only way to meet the nation's electricity demand is nuclear.

Governments are hardly ever the best bodies to be involved in the provision of vital goods and services and gas and electricity were cases in point.