Is Andy Burnham a left-wing Liz Truss? Politics Say what you like about Andy Burnham (and I intend to say a lot) but he’s not short on ambition. Armed with a single by election victory he now intends to oversee “the biggest change in our lifetime to the way Britain is run.” The PM-in-waiting had popped down to London for some selfies before [...]
Taxpayers will foot the bill for Burnham’s renationalisation whims Opinion Nationalisation will simply have the Treasury assume private spending commitments with little knowledge of how to run these businesses, thereby increasing the burden on taxpayers, says Valentin Boboc For the first time in nine years, Andy Burnham is back in Westminster. With his eyes on the top job and a year rife with debate about [...]
South Western Railway performance nosedives after nationalisation Transport and infrastructure Performance at South Western Railway has plummeted in the months since it became the first network to be brought under state ownership, piling fresh scrutiny on the government’s nationalisation drive just days after it announced the lines that will be taken public next. Delays and cancellations both rose sharply over the three months after it [...]
‘At least a decade’ to turn Thames Water around, CEO says amid £1.6bn loss July 15, 2025 The boss of Thames Water has said it will take “at least a decade” to turn the company around as it posted a loss of £1.6bn. The loss for the year to end March compares to a small profit of £157m the prior year and comes despite an 8.7 per cent rise in turnover during [...]
Saving British Steel leaves taxpayers with £900m bill June 25, 2025 The government’s decision to take emergency control of British Steel is poised to cost the taxpayer just short of £1bn, according to initial government estimates, sparking warnings from opposition politicians that the Chancellor’s narrow fiscal headroom is in jeopardy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) expects the public finances to suffer a £900m hit from [...]
Firstgroup shurgs off rail nationalisation with open access growth June 10, 2025 Firstgroup shares soared more than eight per cent on Tuesday after the transport giant reported a bumper set of annual results. Profit came in ahead of expectations as management launched a £50m share buyback programme. Shares are now up close to a third this year to date. Also encouraging for investors was “further growth in [...]
Thames Water mess could soon swamp ministers – and taxpayers June 4, 2025 Water takes the path of least resistance, and so – on this occasion as least – does private equity. Apparently deterred by the increasingly hostile political and regulatory environment KKR, the US giant which secured ‘preferred bidder status’ for a takeover of Thames Water, pulled the plug on its £4bn investment over the weekend. They [...]
Scunthorpe needs private investment more than state support April 22, 2025 We’ve heard a lot about nationalising British Steel but a lot less about how to unlock the growth and private investment that can help towns like Scunthorpe stand on their own two feet, says Emma Revell The first broadcast interview I ever did was about steel. It was 2019, Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell were [...]
After British Steel, what else will the government nab for national security? April 21, 2025 The potential nationalisation of British Steel in the name of 'national security' must make us ask what the government will justify next, writes Eliot Wilson.
Why don’t we mutualise British Steel? April 17, 2025 It's not just nationalise or privatise, there is a third way for British Steel - and it's a win-win, writes Bartek Staniszewski.