woolley Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 He has principles. Shame that they're mainly from the something-for-nothing school of thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Jebus...with Murphy advising him you can be guaranteed we'll have the Eye of Sauran formly focussed this way, and no doubt get a few mentions in PMQs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaughbiker Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I have no doubt he has principles and many of those will be good and decent and whilst his politics are a bit too left for me I don't doubt he is a decent politician. Many will vote for him believing that "the rich" will pay for all the wonderful benefits of a proposed Corbyn state without any idea of exactly who those payers would be. Hey who cares, it won't be me....I'm not rich. Trouble is rich is never defined. Many politicians have succesfully got their message across to many with the thought "are you poor or are you rich?" knowing the instant following thought will be "well I'm not rich so I must be poor". If I'm poor then Labour will the ones to represent me. Fortunately the majority are neither rich or poor but the media constantly polarize any discussion with this binary approach. I don't exactly like the words used in this statement but just like the famous one of Thatcher's it does have a grain of truth: "If you rob Peter to pay Paul you can pretty much rely on Paul's vote". Then Paul finds out sometime later he's paying........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 According to Vince Cable the lurch to the left by Labour means the gap between the two main parties is "vast" and someone needs to fill it. Clown. Folks like me will NEVER vote Lib-Dem again because you gave my vote to the Tories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaughbiker Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Just heard on the wireless...... he would introduce 'The People's Railway". FFS.... I don't think I could ever vote for this political dinosaur. The tories must be cheering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Just heard on the wireless...... he would introduce 'The People's Railway". FFS.... I don't think I could ever vote for this political dinosaur. The tories must be cheering. Nothing wrong with that - Swiss Rail is owned by the Swiss government, Deutsche Bahn by the German government. Both excellent operations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaughbiker Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Bit of thread creep but that's an over simplified view GD (edit : and not what I meant anyway) You are old enough to remember the awful nationalised British Rail. At least you can get hourly cross country servces in the UK now where as in the nationalised days this was very much a rarity. Fares outside peak hours can be remarkable if you go looking eg Liverpool LS to near Sheffield (70 ish miles) for only £3! (or £2 if you are an old git like me). That's less than the bus fare from the north of the island to Douglas. Whilst commuter fares into rush hour London are excessive, these bargain fares do exist if you are willing to book ahead. DB* and SBB have had significant re-investment since WW2 compared to BR where war post war investment was minimal despite an obvious change from steam to diesel and electric traction. That said, it is accepted that on nationalisation in 1948, everything was knackered due to war time over-use and when money required elsewhere. Although Beeching is seen by some as a disaster, it was the only way to keep everything important running when they didn't want to spend any money. Most significant investment has happened since privatisation although there is a long way to go especially in the south east. Despite it being way behind European railways it is improving all the time but I don't think re-nationalisation (and the associated daft idea that everyone owns a bit) isn't the answer. * Not all of DB is nationalised btw. However all the less profitable parts are. Allegedly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 The highest fares in Europe don't seem to be the answer either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Most significant investment has happened since privatisation although there is a long way to go especially in the south east. Despite it being way behind European railways it is improving all the time but I don't think re-nationalisation (and the associated daft idea that everyone owns a bit) isn't the answer. I picked up some Swiss friends at Truro in June - they thought the train wasn't at all bad, so that's something positive. Truro station is somewhat tatty though. Just FWIW 1st class return to London from Falmouth for £100 if you know what you're doing, that's without aging codger discounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sick Moon Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 I picked up some Swiss friends at Truro in June - they thought the train wasn't at all bad, so that's something positive. Truro station is somewhat tatty though. Lol. You mean you found a couple of stray Sennenhunds wandering around the station. Perhaps while you were hanging around the bogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karma Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Most significant investment has happened since privatisation although there is a long way to go especially in the south east. Despite it being way behind European railways it is improving all the time but I don't think re-nationalisation (and the associated daft idea that everyone owns a bit) isn't the answer. What's so daft about the public owning public infrastructure? You're daft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaughbiker Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Thank you Karma. Buying it back is similarly daft too. You have to work from the point "we are where we are" rather than some idealistic place in a perfect world. The public "owned" it from 1948 - 1994 and it was shite especially towards the end of this period. It's far from perfect now but why would anyone want to re-nationalise apart from making a political point*? Do you really think it would be any better on any criterion? If you think it would, some would conclude you might be the deluded one. * Never a good starting point for making a profit. Comrade Corbyn doesn't need to make a profit, the taxed rich will pay all..... FFS #2 Squeeze them until the pips squeak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 He's not proposing buying it back, the suggestion is to take it back into public ownership when the current contracts expire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaughbiker Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Not sure how you take control of the franchises without buying anything Declan. I don't think CC knows either atm as the task force to consider this is yet to be set up. I suppose those with either view ought to wait until 1) it has and 2) it shares its findings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaughbiker Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 The highest fares in Europe don't seem to be the answer either! I travel a lot by rail in the Uk and Europe and the Uk fares I pay are cheaper than anywhere However I : 1) Am old with an old gits railcard. 2) Travel when it's cheapest rather than when it's most convenient. 3) Never commute in the SE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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