Labour Should Embrace Renationalisation to Win Elections and Reverse Thatcher's Failed Privatisation Legacy
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/julian-coman. "Reversing Thatcher’s failed legacy of privatisation can be a Labour vote-winner. If you see Keir, tell him | Julian Coman | The Guardian." May 5, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that Labour should make bringing utilities and public services back under government control a key policy because privatisation has failed, the public now supports this change, and it would help Labour win elections. He points to successful examples like Manchester's buses and says this could reverse 40 years of failed Thatcher-era policies.
Conclusion
The Labour party should adopt a comprehensive renationalisation programme as a core policy platform to win elections and reverse the failed legacy of Thatcherism
Premises
- Privatisation has demonstrably failed, with utilities underinvesting and overcharging while enriching a rentier class at public expense
- Public opinion has shifted decisively in favor of renationalisation, with polls showing large cross-class and cross-party support
- Labour's 2017 election performance improved significantly when it included public ownership commitments in its platform
- Andy Burnham's successful public control of Greater Manchester buses demonstrates that renationalisation works in practice and is popular
- The current sewage scandal and infrastructure failures symbolize how privatisation prioritizes private profit over public good
- Foreign examples prove state ownership can work effectively, as seen with French energy and Norwegian postal services
- Reform UK's recent abandonment of renationalisation talk creates a political opportunity for Labour to fill this gap
Assumptions
- Electoral success should be a primary consideration in policy formation
- Public ownership is inherently more effective than private ownership for natural monopolies and essential services
- The 2017 election results can be attributed partly to Labour's renationalisation commitments
- Public opinion polls accurately reflect voting intentions on policy issues
- Andy Burnham's local success can be scaled to national level
- The current political moment represents a fundamental shift away from Thatcherite consensus