Let's Get Political!

[horlock07]

Oh dear, do they just not get it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37167253

I think this is a very deliberate ploy by Smith to appeal to the remain voters within the Labour Party and possibly beyond (which I recall was supposed to be the party policy until Corbyn decided he didn't like it and ignored it) its setting him aside from Corbyn and presenting a second option, as for what the Brexiters within Labour will think I suspect he would cross that bridge when he came to it, as the brexiters within Labour tend to be on the hard left side its not as if they are going to vote for or support him anyway?

[horlock07]

Ignoring all the political stuff, what point was he trying to make?  That trains are now so popular that we over crowd them?  The end result here would surely be that we should just put more privately run trains on because the system has caused a huge spike in demand since being privatised?

Now, I'm not actually a great advocate of the private train firms, it's all a bit of a mess, and the approach you take would depend on the need for trains.  If we see them as part of a wider transport and infrastructure policy, then something very different needs to be done, as they essentially run local monopolies anyway.  However, overcrowding due to high passenger numbers is hardly the issue I would have though someone looking to nationalize the industry would have wanted to focus on.

Not sure how renationalisation would work anyway, either you pay all the franchise holders a small fortune to give up the franchises (likely to run into billions) or alternatively you wait for the franchises to end then take it back in house, but as they are negotiating 10 + year franchises at the moment this would take us beyond even the next parliament so would depend on all sides of the political arena agreeing to continue the policy if they got into power. In addition this doesn't even take into account that all the rolling stock is owned by third party leasing companies and thus the government would have to buy all that back as well again at a cost of possibly billions.

And no idea what they would do about Network Rail and all the infrastructure?

Sadly again its a policy designed to appeal to the masses but on the hope that no one really thinks about it too much. FWIW the main problem of crowding is due to limited capacity on the system and that's mainly down to Network Rail which is an arms length public body of the Department for Transport, with no shareholders and not privatised.

[Reg Smeeton]

Not sure how renationalisation would work anyway, either you pay all the franchise holders a small fortune to give up the franchises (likely to run into billions) or alternatively you wait for the franchises to end then take it back in house, but as they are negotiating 10 + year franchises at the moment this would take us beyond even the next parliament so would depend on all sides of the political arena agreeing to continue the policy if they got into power. In addition this doesn't even take into account that all the rolling stock is owned by third party leasing companies and thus the government would have to buy all that back as well again at a cost of possibly billions.

And no idea what they would do about Network Rail and all the infrastructure?

Sadly again its a policy designed to appeal to the masses but on the hope that no one really thinks about it too much. FWIW the main problem of crowding is due to limited capacity on the system and that's mainly down to Network Rail which is an arms length public body of the Department for Transport, with no shareholders and not privatised.

Nationalisation is against EU rules, and will certainly contravene TTIP when the Tories eventually get round to Brexit. Of course, it could happen if if we vote for a Corbyn government post Brexit.

[horlock07]

Nationalisation is against EU rules, and will certainly contravene TTIP when the Tories eventually get round to Brexit. Of course, it could happen if if we vote for a Corbyn government post Brexit.

Could it? How easy would it be for Corbyn to extract us from TTIP, or will that need another referendum?

There is still the elephant in the room of basic practicality and cost, which is on top of the £500bn that he has promised for infrastructure projects....

[Reg Smeeton]

Could it? How easy would it be for Corbyn to extract us from TTIP, or will that need another referendum?

There is still the elephant in the room of basic practicality and cost, which is on top of the £500bn that he has promised for infrastructure projects....

Scrap Trident....

[horlock07]

Scrap Trident....

So that's £205bn roughly (not taking into account that Corbyns policy is to build the submarines, thus avoiding pissing off the union's and condemning Barrow in Furness to ruin, but not arming them), and the rest?

[skiptotheLouMacari]

Scrap Trident....

Yeah great scrap our deterrent just whilst Gok Wan in North Korea starts to fix his muscles.

[RobertT]

I'm also finding it odd that Corbyn seems keen to make this about Branson.  Now, I get he's probably anti anyone with such a position, but surely some street smarts would advise the right battles to pick when trying to take on the "elite".  Branson is not exactly a public figure of hate!

The Tories must be loving this.  They could be the most incompetent party ever to win a landslide at the next election.

[horlock07]

I'm also finding it odd that Corbyn seems keen to make this about Branson.  Now, I get he's probably anti anyone with such a position, but surely some street smarts would advise the right battles to pick when trying to take on the "elite".  Branson is not exactly a public figure of hate!

The Tories must be loving this.  They could be the most incompetent party ever to win a landslide at the next election.

I am not sure its personal about Branson, more a natural response to strike out and try to discredit the person who has held them to account and Branson's tax affairs are an open goal that they know the Corbynista's will lap it up and it can deflect any questions about the train thingy.

Corbyn isn't handling the subsequent media questioning particularly well, he reminds me of someone I used to work with who was all cool and nice on the surface but if he was ever challenged on anything turned into a petulant 8 year old. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37173048

[Simon Pieman]

It’s rather unfortunate that Corbyn has started to utilise spin and the tit-for-tat blame game. He probably doesn’t have a choice, but it discredits the state of politics further and equally Corbyn’s let the politics do the talking philosophy.

[Hitchinred]

I've never really known if Branson got the whole 60's alternative philosphy stuff....but he did look after XTC.

I think XTC might disagree based on their George Michaelesque strike for four years to exit their contract. Think Virgin made about £30m out of XTC whereas the contract they signed certainly didn't leave them much better off than when they started.

[thepeoplesgame]

I think XTC might disagree based on their George Michaelesque strike for four years to exit their contract. Think Virgin made about £30m out of XTC whereas the contract they signed certainly didn't leave them much better off than when they started.

"Never trust a hippie." John Lydon

[Peter Venkman]

"Never trust a hippie." John Lydon Ed Tudor-Pole.

[thepeoplesgame]

I stand corrected. Sentiment still valid.

[Costanza]