Have baby boomers stolen the family silver

Durhamjen said
Most of our utilities are owned by foreigners, and particularly foreign governments which are really enjoying fleecing us whilst having cheap utilities for their own population



Goodness what is this 'hate' speech?

Water is an interesting utility, varian.
Scotland still owns its own water, and Scottish Water is the most publicly trusted utility in the UK.

"The tide is turning against privatisation across the world. In the last 15 years, 235 cities in 37 countries have taken their water into public ownership. This is improving the lives of 100 million people. The trend is on the increase and is mostly happening in high income countries. In France, 94 cities have brought water into public ownership. In the US, 58 cities have done so.

Both the Netherlands and Uruguay have made water privatisation illegal. "

From www.weownit.org.uk

suzied said
I have been on trains in Italy and they are fab, an hour and a half journey cost me 10 euros, would probably have been £25 here ( or more). Plenty of seats , even in the rush hour.

No wonder Italy is almost bankrupt!
They have 'fab' Post Offices and town halls too, all run by civil servants leaching off the state.

You obviously do not like the truth, mair. Never mind. I don't expect you to believe me or any of the links I could give you. You can't disprove it, though.
It's not hate speech, as in hatred of foreigners; it's hatred of governments having sold off the family silver, pretty normal for a socialist.

Not normal for a socialist to refer to the inhabitants (even if they're business people) of other countries as 'foreigners', surely?

That's an interesting take on the train service, Mair, and not one that I've really considered before. I just feel envious of the service offered in most countries we go to - they can't all be financial liabilities, surely? I do know that Germany's railways are very heavily subsidised, and their economy's not doing too badly.

Mair So its fab for the UK to have overcrowded trains which cost a fortune, profits going into state owned railways in Italy /France /Netherlands then?
I know there are some institutions which aren't great in ....(name any country you like including the UK) but that doesn't mean we should dislike/ criticise everything else about that country. We possibly should learn from the things which work well.

What's your definition of a foreigner, Ana?
You've criticised me twice for using that word. Why?
What are they?

Most sensible countries value their railways, invest in them, take pride in them. Some of our family lived in Switzerland for a while and when we went there we couldn't believe how great the Swiss railways seemed to be compared to ours.

Mark Steel with his usual slightly surreal commentary on the issue of the day - this time his take on the state of our railways:

www.independent.co.uk/voices/southern-rail-british-railways-typical-europeans-a7511756.html

Brilliant, Eloethan. He called them foreigners as well.

What's your definition of a foreigner, Ana?
You've criticised me twice for using that word. Why?
What are they?

"Them furriners"eh? They buy our railways, they make our chocolate (and it aint what it used to be) So the 'xenophobic' 'Little Englanders' whine! They'll be buying the NHS next!

Seems its fine to "demonise" them when its coming from the left!

Thats what globalisation is! A world with no borders. Anyone can live where they want, and buy what they want, and why not theyre 'humans' aren't they? Does it matter if a Brit or American owns Cadbury's?

No in your definition of globalisation it wouldn't matter. But who's talking about globalisation but you?

All those complaining about foreigner buying British companies>

Don't be silly mair

It seems to me that you turn a discussion on almost anything to your obsession with foreigners, mair.

It funny how the breadstick bunch don't complain about the pesky furriners owning British companies. I'm not quite following Mair's argument here is s/he in favour of nationalised European railways owning privatised British railways or not? Are European railways better than British ones? No, because there are corrupt officials in post offices or something seems to be the logic ? .

I can't follow it either, suzied. Maybe I'm just thick .

There's nothing to stop a British person from owning shares in a foreign-owned company. Most pension funds invest in a range of foreign-owned companies, as do some individuals.

It doesn't matter who owns a company. It might not be based in the UK for tax purposes anyway, even if it is British-owned.

I think I'll butt out now and go and do something else.

PS. Who are the 'breadstick bunch'? I hadn't heard this expression before.

It's just from an anecdote, a government spokesman at dinner was giving a speech and said " we do agree that breadsticks mean breadsticks " , not sure if it was a joke or a Freudian slip.

Aha! Get it!

Theresa May's speech on Tuesday is apparently going to mention not calling the other side names.

Good luck with that, Theresa!

So the breadstick bunch are people who talk gibberish - like "brexit means brexit" Right?

Can we call them breadstickers? My grandaughter loves breadsticks.

It funny how the breadstick bunch don't complain about the pesky furriners owning British companies.
I have never heard of breadstick bunch

Oh, read the next post, got it now!

And anyone from outside Devon is a pesky furriner aren't they? (with the possible exception of the Cornish).