Opinion
The government’s privatisation agenda means UK will ‘never take back control’
Boris Johnson during a Vote Leave campaign event. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA. - Credit: PA
As the Brexiteers celebrate leaving the European Union they are yet to realise that their hopes of 'sovereignty' will never truly exist.
The government talk of taking back control from Brussels, but then are quite willing to pass over key strategic sectors to the Chinese. First Huawei are able to bid for the sensitive 5G contract, despite concerns about potential spying, and now the proposed HS2 rail link to Birmingham.
The reckless way that such key assets are sold off is in marked contrast to France, Germany and the USA, who determinedly protect such assets. This raises very serious questions.
ICI was sold to the Netherlands, with patents, research and skills gone. Steel, glass, confectionery, cars have previously gone. National newspapers and media, fiercely protected elsewhere from foreign control, have been taken over by foreign business interests, with ineffective regulation.
Key national airports like Heathrow and Gatwick are now foreign-owned; the British Airport Authority is owned by Spain. Seaports Liverpool, Glasgow and Great Yarmouth are in foreign hands, as is our busiest port, Felixstowe.
You may also want to watch:
At least 71% of the nine English privatised water companies are owned by overseas organisations. Our gas and electrical power companies include the French nationalised EDF and the German E.ON. The UK nuclear industry is run by the French EDF.
The British train companies are state-owned - by foreign countries including German, French, Dutch and Italian companies. Our train fare increases help to keep fares down on their nationalised rail services. Even London buses are owned by the Germans.
Most Read
- 1 Susanna Reid takes on Priti Patel over government's gaslighting of public on coronavirus
- 2 Tory minister admits UK rejected EU's music visa offer in order to 'take back control' of borders
- 3 Brexiteer musician accused of hypocrisy after demanding No 10 help bands with EU visa
- 4 PMQs: Ben Bradshaw calls out Boris Johnson over Brexit lies
- 5 ‘Don’t haste ye back’ - Nicola Sturgeon's perfect farewell message to Donald Trump
- 6 Piers Morgan calls on Priti Patel to resign over missing crime records fiasco
- 7 Tory MPs vote down Lords bid to protect NHS from post-Brexit trade deals
- 8 9 of the best tweets of Donald Trump leaving the White House
- 9 Boris Johnson narrowly avoids defeat over vote on trade deals with genocidal regimes
- 10 Priti Patel fails to appear in Commons to answer questions on missing police records
With so many of our key strategic sectors owned by our former EU partners, Brexit appears increasingly irrelevant.
Andrew Milroy, Trowbridge
MORE: The problem with the English: England doesn't want to be just another member of a team
The Conservatives are always looking at selling off our public services, resources, assets and infrastructure for profit. So why not privatise Brexit?
We could contract the UK side in the Brexit negotiations with the EU to the experts at the EU, who have the required skills, experience and resources to ensure negotiations are conducted effectively and with good value for money for both the UK and EU.
There's no conflict of interest because that's how all previous privatisations have worked.
That's Brexit sorted and Conservatives can return to claiming money for expenses from parliament and blaming the last Labour government in 2010 for all current political problems.
Safir Ahmed
- The fight may have changed but the cause remains. Buy The New European every Thursday to read the full mailbag of letters. To have your say email letters@theneweuropean and join our readers' group for more debate.
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.